Predator
by SachiNyoko
Summary: Weiss Kruez crossover. Usagi has the perfect life: a loving fiance, loyal friends, and a great job at the local flower shop. However, someone out there wants to destroy everything she holds dear, and ultimately, her.
1. Life is but a Dream

Curtains up.

The echo of civilization hummed in his eardrums, rolling around a subconscious person driven by habitual movements. Worn black sneakers padded softly into the concrete sidewalk, spinning towards the only park in Tokyo. No footprints, no indentation of this person's crossing remained over the smutty gray concrete. A chameleon to multitudes of people, he traipses down the lonesome stretch of crowded city streets.

But he's here today for a new reason, and he spots her walking briskly down the opposing sidewalk. She laughs into the cell phone in her hand, her blue eyes twinkling like sapphires under the blonde wisps of hair dancing in her face. The glaring sun overhead glimmers off her golden locks, causing a glowing effect all around her. Pristine white teeth shimmer behind her full pink lips, still pouty with childishness.

This girl was an angel. An epiphany of innocence, light, and beauty, all the things an angel bore. He'd known it from the first time he'd seen her, from the helping hand she'd extended to him despite the circumstances. She did not judge, nor scorn, she only shone with brilliance. She was truly an angel.

He had to crush her. Slowly.

Like the lamb himself, this girl was too forgiving, too saintly, and too _perfect_ to be allowed existence. True, she had her bad points, but her imperfections only seemed to add to her charm, to her beauty. He simply had to strip her of these things; first her love, then her trust, and then her innocence. All of it would be his, and then he'd take her tainted soul and break it.

He paused at the park entrance, ten feet's distance from the swings, and watched the angel stop at a crosswalk. A brunette child on the swings was swaying, back and forth in a huge arch, and humming. The song was familiar, he almost wanted to join, but instead he silently listened to her young voice sing out the lyrics.

_Row, row, row your boat_

_Gently down the stream_

The light changed, she stuck her cell phone in her purse distractedly and pushed her sunglasses into her hair. Her steps were timed, cautious, unaccustomed to grace or poise and trying to adjust, but she paused on the curb and smiled at a black-haired toddler with its mother. There was that damned saintliness, he wanted to break it right there. He wanted to kill the little twerp right before her and see how dark he could make those sparkling blue eyes.

As she turned to walk in his direction, he stuck his hands in his pockets and strolled slowly into the park. She passed him by without a glance, and he backtracked to watch her stride down the sidewalk, chin up and smile in place. She made such a thin, delicate little target. She would be his.

_Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily_

_Life is but a dream_

She entered the local flower shop, and he almost cackled. How ironic, the angel and the kittens. His eyes glinted as he wandered back down the street, away from his angel and the girl on the swings. For now, he would watch, and he would learn. Soon, soon his plan would become reality. Soon her innocence would be tainted.

_Life is but a dream_

Curtains down.

**xXx**

Nineteen year old Usagi Tsukino pushed a pair of darkly tinted sunglasses up into her blonde hair, effectively pushing her bangs from her eyes. Though still adjusting to the shortness of her new look, she and her boyfriend, Mamoru, both agreed it was an improvement on her ridiculously long pigtails. Her blue eyes shimmered as she watched a mother playing patty-cake with her toddler, imagining herself and Chibiusa.

After the battle with Chaos, it had been very hard for her to adjust. The last few years of high school had been the roughest in her life, with Mamoru in college at Harvard and her parents finally buckling down on her to improve her grades. If it hadn't been for the senshi's support, she might not have made it through. Now, Mamoru had just come back to Japan and she was happier than ever.

The black-haired child looked over at her and stared, somehow in awe at the sight of her. Usagi smiled warmly at the youngster, but she only stared back, her mouth slightly open, and soon the mother caught on to what had her daughter so enthralled. The two shared a grin before Usagi turned, continuing on her way.

The thought of Chibiusa had boosted the blonde's mood that much more, and she nearly skipped towards her destination; the local flower shop. As it were, all of the senshi agreed to have a period of normalcy before Crystal Tokyo was born. Mamoru agreed they should prolong their engagement until she was twenty-one, and though she hated to wait that long, she realized they would be together no matter what.

In the mean time, Usagi sought out employment to keep herself busy and satisfy her shopping needs. As she though it over, she'd so happened to waltz by a lovely looking flower shop with a 'Help Wanted' sign in the window. Later she'd come to discover that the position had been sought after by the entire girl population of the local high school, and during her interview she'd realized why.

Her fellow employees were _gorgeous_. Not just your average 'walk by, sigh at his hotness, and move along'. The kind of guys that the whole 'love at first sight' bit proved true for, with melting smiles and mesmerizing eyes. The reason she'd been chosen for the job is because, frankly, she was the applicant not interested in staring at her fellow employees more than working. In fact, she was engaged, so there was no danger in that department.

She called hello as soon as she entered the shop, Koneko No Sumi Ie. The blonde boy at the counter smiled brightly at her, the only person at the shop close to her age. As she placed her purse on the counter and pushed her cell phone all the way inside, she smiled back at him.

"Hullo Omi-kun." She greeted, tucking her purse under the counter and grabbing her work apron. After she put it on, she pulled her sunglasses out of her hair and let the blonde locks fall around her face.

"Hi Tsukino-san," Omi replied, earning an annoyed glance from Usagi as she put her sunglasses away.

"Omi-kun, I've told you over and over to call me Usagi. Yohji-kun, how many times have I asked Omi to call me Usagi?" She called to the other side of the shop, where Yohji was watering flowers distractedly.

"Two hundred and twenty-seven times, everyday you've come into work." He replied, sending Usagi an amused glance over his own sunglasses, which he rarely bothered to remove, even indoors. Usagi stared at him strangely for a few minutes before laughing lightly.

"Well, it seems I've got some sort of a stalker. I had no idea you felt that way, Yohji-kun." As she said this, the blonde gave a dreamy look at Yohji, trying her best to keep her face straight.

"Oh, but Usagi, your beauty has ensnared since the first time I saw you." Yohji drawled dramatically, taking the younger girls hands in his. The two high school students in the store started giggling at the spectacle. When Usagi had first started working at the flower shop, the local high school girls had despised her, and blatantly at that. After a while though, her infectious personality got to them, and the fact that she was engaged helped a little, too.

"Get to work." Usagi looked over at the red-head known as Aya, and bowed in apology. Yohji turned and continued watering flowers, muttering something to himself. The blonde stifled a giggle, before taking the orders from Omi. At first, Aya had appointed her to the register, but after a few weeks they discovered the rabbit's true talent: flower arranging. So now, that was what she mostly did, and she enjoyed every minute of it.

"By the way, where's Ken?" Usagi asked suddenly.

"Soccer," was Omi's one word reply, and the blonde nodded her understanding. She'd seen Ken play soccer once, and she could tell from watching him that it was his favorite thing to do. As her mind wandered elsewhere, she began humming to herself.

It didn't take her long to finish the first order, for it was a simple arrangement. She carried the vase in her arms, planning to store it behind the counter where Omi could deliver it later, when she caught sight of a man in the window. He had a patch covering one eye, but the other was staring right through her. Its golden hue made him seem almost...demonic.

"Omi, do you see," but as soon as she made to point out the man, he was gone. Omi looked at the frozen girl, concerned.

"Usagi?"

"There was a man in the window, just now, did you see him?" The blonde asked, turning to face Omi. He shook his head negative, taking the flowers from her hands as he did so. "He was staring right at me."

"Can you blame him?" Yohji commented flippantly, winking at her. Usagi smiled lightly, and made to go back to work, with the strange man still on her mind.

**xXx**

Ack, new story! I'm working on Forbidden Dreams right now, but I was deterred by this because I'm simply in love with it. I don't know exactly how well I portray the stalker-ness, but I do try. If you're a fan of Weiss Kreuz, it shouldn't be hard at all to identify the creepy stalker guy. Yes, there will be romance. No, it's not a Usa/Mamoru, though I am working on one of those...undercover. It's a one-shot.

Anyway, this is a...what would you call it? Ah, a teaser. Yes. So review it, or there will be no more. How sad. And I promise to work on FD more now...but some reviews for this might help me move faster. -hint hint-

♥SachiNyoko♥


	2. Let the games begin

Killing him hadn't been difficult.

A golden eye gleamed in the semidarkness, drinking in the mangled form at its feet. Yes, the man was utterly insufferable. He'd so been looking forward to it, today was the day, and he'd done it slowly. His plan, everything, set in motion. Unexpectedly, he'd been seen by her, was that good or bad? He wasn't sure just yet...

He stepped over the motionless body, tired of looking at him, and picked up the framed picture on the man's desk. It showed his angel, smiling at the camera, surrounded by her _friends_. Her friends...

He left, leaving the front door slightly ajar. She would see it and she would know something was wrong. Then she would open the door...a smile far from sane touched his lips as he made his way back. Let the games begin.

**xXx**

The time came to lock up and close the store, so Usagi pulled the till from the register while Aya locked the doors. Omi was out on delivery, so she'd taken over the register for him for the afternoon. As she rested the tray on her hip, her eyes met the violet ones of Aya, and she smiled brightly at him. "Aya-kun, would you like me to count Omi's till? Or would you rather wait for him to do it?"

"Go ahead and head home, before it gets dark." He replied, pulling his apron off and hanging it behind the counter. Usagi placed the till on the counter, and removed her apron as well, hanging it aside Aya's. She grabbed her purse, pulling her cell phone out to check for messages, while her mind drifted back to the strange man in the window earlier. A shiver ran up her spine, and her fingers fumbled over the keys on her phone.

Usagi walked for the door, getting ready to leave, as she looked out into the dim evening street. It was already quite empty, strangely, since it wasn't quite late yet. The blonde stopped, her hand on the door, and looked back to the redhead. "Aya-kun?"

"Yes?" He turned towards her again, his green eyes only slightly inquisitive. Her pearly white teeth bit down on her bottom lip, and she lost her nerve. The walk to hers and Mamoru's apartment was at least fifteen minutes, she couldn't ask Aya to walk that with her and back on his own.

"Never mind, have a good night." The rabbit flashed a smile before exiting, looking back down at her cell phone to see she did, in fact, have a message. Dialing in her voicemail, she typed in her password before holding the receiver to her ear to listen.

"_Usako, I guess you're working right now. I wanted to take you out to dinner tonight, after you get off work. Think about it._" A small smile graced Usagi's lips as she deleted the message from her inbox. Her fear left her as she thought about what she would wear tonight. Her lunch was light, so her stomach was already grumbling for food. Where would Mamoru take her?

"Oh god, sorry," Usagi gasped as she ran straight into someone. She huffed, there was really no one else on the sidewalk, and the person could've easily avoided her. She looked up, and felt her breath leave her, as though she'd been socked a good one in the stomach.

The single, visible golden eye glinted down at her, before they walked off. Usagi realized she was a block from her apartment, and set off at a run, her white tennis shoes padding noisily on the empty sidewalk. She sprinted up the stairs to the second floor, digging for her apartment keys, but as she reached the door, she realized it was open. Her whole body came to a halt, though she panted from exertion.

The windows were dark, but Mamoru should've been home. He wouldn't have been so careless to leave the door open, would he?

Warily, Usagi placed her hands on the door, palms flat against the wood, and pushed it inward. Her eyes scanned the darkened room, and she spotted the body crumpled on the floor, and let out a gasp. She fumbled for the light switch, and when it clicked on, she made to run to him. "Mamoru? Oh god."

The words dropped from her lips, her limbs stopped moving again, and she stared in disbelief for a moment. The blonde knew better to even hope the man was still breathing, and she sprinted to the nearby bathroom to wretch in the toilet.

When she leaned back against the tiled wall, still in shock and shivering, she realized her cell phone was still clenched in her fist from where she'd ran into that man. That man...she quickly dialed the police, and felt some relief when the operator picked up. "Hello, what is your emergency?"

"I just came home, my fiancé, there's blood everywhere. I think he's dead," As she choked it out, the implication hit her full force. Her voice broke out into hysterical sobs while the operator tried to calm her.

"Ma'am, I need your location." Usagi managed to tell her address, and listened dutifully as the operator told her to stay put in the bathroom, and lock the door until the cops got there. After all, the culprit could still be there. The blonde dropped the phone after the woman hung up, and pulled her knees to her, and sobbed into them.

Some time passed before the sounds of sirens began to well up around her, and she could hear people begin moving around her apartment. Her head felt heavy and painful, and she jumped when she heard a knock on the bathroom door. She hadn't bothered to lock it, and the officer twisted the knob open.

"Ma'am, let's get you out of here." The suited man said gently, helping her to her feet. One of the paramedics came into the bathroom, and wrapped her in a blanket. Usagi wondered why, but she couldn't speak, and the officer led her out of the apartment, she buried her head against his arm so she wouldn't see the murder scene again. While the two descended the stairs, a rumbling of a motorcycle grew louder, until it stopped off in front of the building.

"Usagi? What happened?" As the person removed their helmet, revealing a messy mop of brown hair, Usagi recognized Ken instantly. She ran to him, and hugged him full force, just thankful that someone she knew was there.

"Sir, do you know this young lady?" The officer asked, though the question was painfully obvious. Ken hugged the crying blonde back awkwardly, while he nodded at the man.

"Yeah, we work at the local flower shop together. I was riding by when I saw the lights and stuff. I got worried because I know her fiancé is out a lot, being a doctor, so I decided to check on her." He explained quickly, looking quite nervous.

"I see. Ma'am, we're going to need to question you. Are you up to it now?" The officer questioned, and as Usagi nodded, he went on, "Also, do you have someone to stay with for the time being. It's obviously not safe here and it's considered a crime scene at the moment."

"My parents live in Juuban." The blonde responded quietly, nodding.

"I can wait up, and give you a ride over there if you want." Ken offered, earning instant agreement from Usagi. He watched as the cop led her off to the side, and they talked back and forth. His attention diverted to the paramedics descending the stairs from the second floor. They held a stretcher between them, with a body, but the sheets were pulled over.

As two detectives convened by their car, he leaned a little to hear their conversation. "...gruesome death, as if the killer really had a grudge against the guy. There were cut and stab wounds everywhere, we'll have to wait for the autopsy to get an official count. Also, some bruises around the neck, signs of strangulation, so we'll have to fingerprint that. Pull up information on their neighbors, see if you can question them, if they seen anyone suspicious around."

"I'm ready, Ken-kun." Usagi's small voice nearly startled him into falling over his motorcycle, but he chuckled softly and handed his helmet to her. She put it on obediently, and climbed on the seat behind him. As he started the engine, she let the noise drown out the thoughts in her head. She placed her arms around him, and held on as they took off, closing her eyes so she wouldn't see the flashing lights as they sped away.

When they pulled into Usagi's familiar, childhood home, Ken killed the engine. The blonde climbed from the motorcycle, and gave him another quick hug after handing over his helmet. "Thank you, Ken-kun, for giving me a ride."

"No problem, Usagi. I'll tell the guys you aren't coming in tomorrow." The brunette boy said, placing the helmet on his seat. The blonde shook her head, her hair swaying with it.

"Please don't. I'd like to come to work. I couldn't bear to stay at home. Plus, there's an arrangement I'm really looking forward to." Usagi offered her best, bright smile as the front door to the Tsukino home opened. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ken-kun."

The brunette man watched, slightly awed, as the blonde turned and walked up to the porch of her parents' home, being enveloped in a large hug by the blue haired woman in the doorway. He waited until the door had closed behind the two women before he put his helmet back on, and drove away. When he killed the engine and entered his own residence, Omi nearly pounced on him.

"I was worried, you're really late," the blonde boy explained as Ken shrugged him off. He was still troubled, and it showed in his features, so Omi called him on it. "Did something happen?"

"I got held up at soccer, and on my way home I saw Usagi's place surrounded by cops and paramedics. I overheard the detectives saying her fiancé had been murdered, and gorily at that. I was a little worried leaving her at her parent's house," Ken admitted, taking in the shocked look that Omi gave him. Tossing off his coat, he said, "I'm going to bed, though, it's been a long day."

**xXx**

Usagi stretched in her pajamas, printed with the bunnies she used to be so fond of. Her pajamas now were solid colors, not that she didn't like the cute prints, but more her own persistence to be more like an adult. She hadn't grown much taller since she'd moved out, but the pants did stop a bit above her ankles.

Telling her parents what happened had been very hard, harder than she though it would be. Ikuko was a wonderful, sensitive woman, however, and her words were more soothing than she herself probably realized. Plus, the glass of milk and lemon pie had helped along, too. The blonde hadn't eaten dinner, but couldn't bear the thought of food at the moment.

Her bare feet sunk gently into the carpet as she walked around her old room, still decorated as it had been in her high school days. Walking to the window, she looked out at the tree next to it. Her eyes jumped down to the window sill, was that dirt? She shook her head, trying to let go of her paranoia. Honestly, it was probably just a random psychotic that killed Mamoru, no one was after her.

Suddenly very weary, she dragged herself over to her bed and flopped down in it. As soon as she closed her eyes, however, the gruesome image of Mamoru's mangled corpse flashed through her eyes. She buried her face into her pillow and sobbed, but as she did, she heard a soft crinkle.

Perplexed, she lifted her head, and pressed down on the pillow where it'd just been. Yes, there was something there, under her pillowcase. She reached her hand under it, snagging the corner of the object and yanking it free. Turning the lamp on, the light flooded the dark room and illuminated the picture in her hand.

Her face stared up at her, surrounded by the inner senshi, with Chibiusa in her lap and Mamoru's arm around her shoulder. Over Mamoru's handsome, smiling face, someone had carved an 'x,' scratching most of his face away. A deep shudder went through her, raising the hairs on her neck and her arms. She took in a deep breath, and then she screamed.

**xXx**

Oh, gomen, gomen, it's been a long time since I worked on this! Try to keep in mind that I'm not as psycho as him, so if I don't portray Farfarello very well, try not to harm me, I'm trying. Also, I think in the series the Weiss boys lived below the flower shop. I tried to look through fan sites, but none of them made reference to that particular situation, so I just went with it.

I'm going to try to watch episodes of Weiss Kreuz tomorrow, but I'm packing to move to Miami and I don't know how much time I'll have. Also, keep in mind that I have no beta, so there'll be mistakes every now and then. Point out anything that I'm wrong about, and I'll try to fix it. Also, if you have any comments on characters and such, I'd love to hear them, and I'll take any suggestions on changes into consideration.

Hmm, hope you enjoyed, and please review my humble piece of fiction.

SachiNyoko


	3. Everything going perfectly

Her shrill scream echoed throughout the quiet Tsukino home, and perhaps even reached the houses of their slumbering neighbors. They fortunately didn't rouse to the high-pitched noise but Kenji Tsukino jumped from his bed, where he was just starting to doze off, and sprinted towards his daughter's bedroom down the hall. He didn't hesitate to throw open the door.

Searching the room with his eyes, expecting some intruder, he only spotted his hysterical offspring standing in the center of the room. Ikuko appeared in the doorway behind him as he approached Usagi, and the blonde's scream died down into sobs as the paper in her hands slipped from her fingertips. Kenji pulled her into his embrace, mumbling words of comfort as he held her.

Ikuko slipped quietly to them, bending to pick up the discarded photograph without either of them really noticing her. As her brown eyes fell on the image, a small gasp escaped her lips, and her normally pale complexion went absolutely pallid. She pushed her blue hair from her eyes as she retreated from the room, leaving Kenji to calm their distraught daughter. As she approached the stairs, Shingo's bedroom door opened to her left.

The teenage boy appeared in the doorway, nearly making her jump out of her skin. His expression read puzzled as he looked at her, running his hand through his messy, sandy blonde hair. "Okaasan, what's going on? I thought I heard Odango."

"Nothing, Shingo. Go back to bed, you have school tomorrow," Ikuko instructed, in a firm, motherly tone. Shingo frowned, but it quickly disappeared with his yawn. He shrugged, disappearing behind his door as it closed. Descending the stairs, Ikuko located the switch and illuminated the previously dark kitchen. Though she had to squint against the sudden brightness, it took here mere seconds to locate the phone hanging on the wall to her left.

She quickly dialed the operator, and after working her way through the recordings, finally heard the voice of the live person through the receiver, "Operator, how may I help you?"

Holding the picture up closer to her face, she hesitated only a second before saying, "I need the Juuban Police Department."

**xXx**

He couldn't believe how simple that actually was; they fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Melding farther into the branches of the tree, he watched the flashing red and blue sirens illuminate the block from across the street. His prey truly was naïve, he thought, to call the police.

The front door opened, and two uniformed officers stepped onto the porch, quickly followed by Kenji Tsukino. The porch light glinted off their badges as they turned back to face the stressed man, in the middle of a sentence he could only catch the last of, "-patrols around this block and the surrounding area. The culprit can't have gotten too far away considering the time frame."

"Keep all your doors and windows locked, for now, and make sure there's a phone nearby just in case," the other officer began, as Kenji nodded profusely. That part was just common sense. Before the two officers turned to go, the second added, "Don't worry, Mr. Tsukino, guys like this always screw up. We'll catch him."

Somewhat narrowed, his golden eye followed their every movement back to their patrol car. One officer slipped into the driver's seat, turning of the flashing lights on top of the vehicle, while the other opened the passenger side door. He paused, his head turning towards the large tree outside the girl's window for a moment, before he looked across the street to the tree that he was sitting in.

The cop got in the car, and the patrol drove away, disappearing around the corner once it reached the end of the street. He glared at the tree branch below him, thinking on what the officer had said. So, they though he would screw up, like every other two-bit criminal out there?

He could walk across the street and slaughter the whole family, silently, right now. Then they'd still be nowhere close to finding out who he was or where to find him. But that wasn't part of his plan, and the fact that the girl took his bait was enough to satisfy him. For now.

Kenji Tsukino entered his house once more, no doubt locking the door, and then the porch light went out. Dropping from the tree, he appeared as nothing more than a shadow before he disappeared from the street completely.

**xXx**

The next morning, to Usagi Tsukino, felt nothing short of waking up with a hangover. Though she'd only done that once, at Minako's last birthday party, the morning after pain was unforgettable. Groaning, she sat up straight and tried feebly to rub at her temples, wondering what she'd done to feel so crappy.

Then she saw the blue blanket, decorated with moons and stars, which occupied her childhood room, and remembered the previous night; the man, Mamoru, the picture, and crying herself to sleep. Yawning, she rubbed at her eyes and stepped into her slippers. One thought echoed in her mind, over all others, and that happened to be 'get some aspirin, fast.' She ambled across the hall, into the bathroom, and opened the medicine cabinet.

There, on the bottom shelf in an industrial sized bottle, sat the answer to her prayers. Somewhere between happy and relieved, she quickly descended the stairs and entered the kitchen, where she was bombarded suddenly by the smell of freshly brewed coffee. The familiarity of it relaxed her, somewhat, as she retrieved a glass from one of the cupboards. Never fond of coffee due to its bitter taste, she did enjoy the smell and the way it reminded her of her Okaasan; of home.

Ikuko Tsukino sent her a neutral glance from over the kitchen sink, where she was watching the dishes that were dirtied at breakfast. Shingo would no doubt be out somewhere on his day off, and Kenji at work because he worked everyday. Usagi pretended not to notice the look, filling her glass with water and downing four of the little white pills that meant no more throbbing head. Taking the last piece of toast from the napkin by the toaster, she took a seat at the table and began to butter it with the supplies already sitting there.

As she munched, her mind drifted to the events of the previous evening, the cause of the unsavory tension between her shoulders. She went through the whole day, in a sort of play by play, pausing and pondering the strange guy she seen outside the flower shop and before she reached her apartment. He seemed familiar to her, somehow, like she'd seen him before yesterday.

Then she thought of the picture, the 'x' that covered her fiancé's-no, ex fiancé's face. Could it represent some sort of sign, or maybe some sort of sick hit list? Did this psychopath plan on going after her best friends, or even her family? Usagi sat her toast down, feeling nauseous at the very thought of it.

But if it were true, she had to warn her friends somehow to be a little more careful. After all, Minako and Makoto lived by themselves. Ami stayed with her mother, but she was a doctor and was gone a lot of the time, and sleeping the rest. Even Rei, who stayed at the shrine with her Grandpa, didn't seem very safe. She didn't even want to stay with her family if it meant they'd be in danger.

Standing, she walked to the telephone, dialing Minako's number first. The blonde goddess of love was out, probably doing a photo shoot or more likely, shopping. Usagi left a message saying to make sure to keep her doors and windows locked, no matter what, and to give her a call at her parent's house whenever she could. She dialed Makoto next, who was no doubt at work, and left the same message.

Even Ami was out, probably at college classes, so she left the message and prepared to dial Rei. As she expected, the phone rang three or four times before someone picked up, "Good Morning, Hikawa Shrine, how may I help you?"

"Rei, you sound so enthused," Usagi prodded, laughing a little. The raven haired miko on the other end let out a shout of surprise, which made her laugh a little more. But she found laughing a little harder than usual, as Mamoru drifted through her mind.

"Usagi-chan! I didn't expect to hear from you. How are you?" Rei questioned, laughing too at her own foolishness. The blonde girl paused, letting the question hang in the air for at least a full minute. Concerned, Rei asked, "Are you alright, Bunny?"

Hesitantly, Usagi began to tell Rei everything that happened yesterday. The miko stayed quiet through the story, giving her all the time she needed to detail everything, especially when she got to the portion of finding Mamoru. Finally, the rabbit got around to the reason she called in the first place: warning. "I can't be sure of anything right now, but you and the girls may be in danger. Just lock up at night, and try to be careful."

"Usagi-" The blonde's eyes fell over the clock, and they nearly bugged out of her head.

Before Rei could say anything further, she was freaking out, saying into the phone, "Sorry, Rei, we'll talk later. I'm late for work! Goodbye!"

She hung up the phone without waiting for response, and sprinted for the stairs, very reminiscent of her fourteen year old self. Anyone who knew her might think she was in junior high again, late for school like always. Ransacking her closet, she threw on the first thing that looked to fit decently and observed it in the mirror.

The black pants were stretchy, coming down over her kneecaps. Over these she wore her old favorite dress, in her favorite color no less, of pink. There was a nice bow along the neckline, and the sleeves of it stopped at her elbows. The skirt reached about mid-thigh, too short if it weren't for the pants underneath. Feeling like a schoolgirl in the outfit, she sighed and decided she didn't have time to worry about it.

Skidding back down the stairs, she snatched her purse from the kitchen counter and noticed her mother's confused expression. "Okaasan, I'm going to work. See you tonight!"

"Usagi, you shouldn't go to work! The detectives said-" What they said she wouldn't know, for the door slamming cut of Ikuko's sentence. The woman huffed in anger, her blue hair falling into her face as she frowned at the spot where Usagi had disappeared.

**xXx**

"Guys, I'm so sorry for being late! I don't know what came over me, but I promise it won't happen again." Usagi sounded completely humiliated as she bowed in front of Aya. The redhead was the closest to her, and he raised an eyebrow at her antics. Really though, she said to herself, how dumb could you be to let work slip your mind?

"It's not a big deal. Get to work," Aya said, turning back to the flowers he was watering. The blue eyed girl stood straight, looking at him with blatant confusion. The only other time she'd been late, she recalled, Aya had yelled at her and then refused to talk to her for almost a week. Needless to say, she doubled her efforts in arriving on time, part of the reason she'd ditched her school days habit of being late.

So considering all that, Aya not being the least bit upset at her rung a little suspicious in her book. Shrugging, she walked to the counter and stashed her purse in its usual spot. While grabbing her apron from its hook she shot a sideways glance at Omi, who was looking over shipment papers. He hadn't said hello.

As she tied the back of her apron, she turned her attentions to Yohji, who was busying himself with trimming the leaves of some flowers. Though she continued to stare, he didn't look at her once, or offer any greeting. They were avoiding her.

"I guess Ken-kun told you guys already. Look, I'm okay, there's no reason to act...so uptight about it," when they still didn't look, Usagi fetched the arrangement orders that had been set out for her and moseyed over to the table that she usually worked at. She spread the papers out over the table, and chose the first one she would work on. Today being Sunday, the shop was at its slowest, and even the crowds of fan girls didn't come by this particular morning.

Usagi gathered the flowers she would need and a pair of gloves. Unable to stand to silence for very long, she began to hum to herself like she usually did while she clipped the thorns from the roses. Once she adjusted the length of the stems, she began arranging the red roses and the Peruvian white lilies, creating a beautiful palette of red and white.

While she was attaching the card, the shop door opened with the jingling of the bell, startling the four of them. As it turned out, the person that entered was Ken, clad in his soccer uniform with a ball under one arm. Usagi toted her vase over to place behind the counter, sending a smile in his direction. "Hello Ken-kun, back from soccer practice already?"

"Hey Usagi. Yeah, we got rained out." The brunette replied, flashing a grin and gesturing to the gray clouds rolling across the sky. Walking to the large window, her blue eyes observed the darkening sky before she returned to her work table. Ken disappeared to the back, while she studied her next order. It involved tulips, Usagi noted, so she would need to trim the stems.

About halfway through her pruning, Ken came back out in his casual clothes as opposed to his soccer ensemble. He walked over to her table, observing the order on paper before asking, "Need some help?"

"Sure, why not? You trim, I'll arrange, deal?" Her eyes lit up in a smile as she handed over the gloves and garden tool, which he accepted. A few moments later, Yohji walked over to them, delivering another handful of colorful tulips to the pile that Ken was trimming.

"I hope you know you're not getting paid for your flirting, Ken." Yohji said, grinning over his sunglasses. Usagi laughed at him, hitting his shoulder lightly.

"Yohji, don't pick on Ken. He's kind enough to help, unlike you." She giggled at the indignant look that Yohji sent her. Though she knew he was trying to make up for not speaking to her earlier, she wasn't really that mad over it.

His antics were working either way, as he put his hand over his heart. "Why Usagi, you shatter my fragile heart with your cruel words. All the flowers that I've brought for you, all the compliments I give, they all go unappreciated."

"I'm sure. You poor, mistreated person," her blonde locks of hair fell into her eyes as she bent in her chair with laughter, all but abandoning the vase of flowers in front of her.

"Usagi, did they get any leads on, well, the murderer," Ken asked, his face going mildly red. Usagi looked over at him, and she could tell he tried to phrase the question as delicately as possible. Not wanting to make him feel too uneasy, she smiled a little.

"Well, not that I know of, but..." and she told him about the picture that she found in her bedroom after the brunette had left the previous night. In the silence that followed, she realized that Omi and Aya had been listening to the conversation as well, by the looks they were giving her. For the second time, the bell on the door jingled, announcing the arrival of a customer.

Startled back to reality, Usagi continued her arrangement in silence while the man consulted Omi at the counter. She listened halfheartedly to his story of wanting to surprise his girlfriend on her birthday, while positioning the different color blooms around the vase in front of her. Without really thinking about it, her eyes drifted towards the display window of the shop.

The rabbit froze, her eyes widening, and dropped a tulip she was about to add to the bunch in her arrangement. As it landed softly against the wooden table, the person she thought she saw vanished; whether into thin air or between the people crowded along the sidewalk, she couldn't tell. She didn't say anything, but turned her attentions back to her work, and continued with trembling hands.

Ken suggested she go home after he noticed her edginess, and Omi agreed with him. Usagi ignored both of them, and made it through the rest of the day without any more incidents.

**xXx**

He paused, perhaps startled for the first time in quite a while. Of all the things, he hadn't expected her to be at work, or at work _laughing_. Normal people usually didn't hop out of bed the day after their fiancé is murdered bright eyed and bushy tailed. In fact, most people would be bedridden with misery at this point.

Then again, he didn't know too much about being normal. Plus, he'd chosen this girl for a reason, and it's possible he underestimated her character. He'd have to shorten the time planned on laying low, at this rate. The detectives weren't a concern; he was about as worried over them as he was the population of starving children.

Slowly, she turned her head towards him, as if she knew he was there. And maybe she did. The look, when she saw him; he could literally see the fear cloud her senses. Those bright, sparkling blue seemed to almost...darken a few shades. A devilish smirk possessed his own eyes, before he turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Everything was going perfectly.

**xXx**

In the manga, or at least in the StarS that I have, everyone calls Usagi 'Bunny.' Therefore, I used that nickname here.

Even I get chills, isn't that odd? -sweatdrop- Hey, as far as I'm concerned, Farfie-chan is downright scary. That's why he's appealing, ne? Anyway, I'll bring in a couple more Schwarz members next chapter. :O That's how you spell it, right? Schwarz? Microsoft Word tells me it should be 'shears.' xD The other members will probably play a small role, but you never know, I change my mind a lot. Sometimes things just come to me.

Some questions...**Is Farfie-chan going to kill the Tsukinos? **Good question! Well, actually, I suppose not because I can't give it away, ne? This _is_ supposed to be suspense. So will it be a member of the Tsukino family, or possibly one of the senshi? One thing is certain, I won't have any group killings, I plan on picking people of one at a time...please don't commit me, I promise I'm not insane. -sweatdrop-

**When is Weiss Kreuz coming into the picture?** Assuming you mean the series plotline, well this is sort of AU-ish on that side, which I haven't really mentioned. I definitely need to go back and watch the series again, because I can't remember how it ends. -sweatdrop- But there isn't going to be any Reiji Takatori action and stuff like that. Forgive me for plot holes, or beat me up, either way.

**Could it be a Schuldich/Usagi/Farfarello triangle? **Wow, now wouldn't that be something. o.o Unfortunately, though I realize Schuldich is very popular, I don't really like him much. Besides, I doubt he and Usagi will even meet, and I severely suck at love triangles. As for Usagi/Farfarello, well, I don't know if even Usagi could fall in love with someone who killed Mamoru. Forgive him, perhaps, but not love. Then again, you never know...

**Are you going to have Farfie-chan kill off all her friends and family? **Well, I'd certainly be cruel to do so, wouldn't I? I'm not going to kill off everyone, I promise.

**What happens to Chibiusa? **Well, I am fond of Chibiusa. I realize there are people who don't like her. But she won't exist anymore, it's just, that particular thought hasn't crossed Usagi's mind yet.

Well, review replies are officially taboo. I still have no clue why it's such an issue to reply to reviews inside the chapter. I'll answer any questions you have about the story as above; I just can't address you personally.

**I really, really appreciate every review I receive, and I thank each and every one of you who read my story!** If you want to contact me personally, you can private message or e-mail me any time. I warn you, I sparsely have time to check my e-mail, so I may not reply right away. I will get back to you, though!

SachiNyoko


	4. Voicemail

Naoe Nagi sat his school bag down on the table, his dark blue eyes stopping on the familiar, orange haired assassin in the doorway to the kitchen. A slight frown crossed his lips as Schuldich took a drag of his cigarette, and blew the smoke in his direction.

"Schuldich, have you noticed that Farfarello is going out a lot lately?" Nagi asked offhandedly, stepping to the side and out of the cloud of smoke. The orange haired telepath grinned, though from amusement or something he knew, Nagi couldn't tell.

"I wouldn't worry, chibi," the front door kicked open behind Nagi, and the subject of conversation entered the household looking rather pleased. When he noticed the two of them standing there, the emotion flickered to nothing. "What's going on, Farfarello? It looks like you've been having too much fun making God cry."

The shorter man glared with his one visible golden eye before he walked past them without a word. Schuldich wiggled his eyebrows as he looked back at Nagi, saying, "See, nothing to worry about."

**xXx**

"I'm home," Usagi called as she slipped her soggy tennis shoes off, along with her wet socks. Ken offered to ride her home on his motorcycle like he had the night before, as opposed to her taking the bus again, and she reluctantly accepted. Before hand, she refused, saying it was only a fifteen minute walk to her apartment. And then everything sank in all over again. She'd distracted herself to the point of almost forgetting what had happened, and the thought scared her.

"Usagi," the tone of her mother's voice bordered on frightening as she appeared in the kitchen's entryway, a spatula raised menacingly in her hand. The blonde laughed nervously, taking a step back from the angry looking woman out of pure reflex. Without warning, she was reduced to tears and ran over to crush her daughter in a hug. "I was so worried all day long! I can't believe you went to work, what were you thinking?"

Ikuko continued to babble, her voice throaty with emotion that brought a soft smile to Usagi's face as she pulled away. Her mother walked back toward the kitchen, still muttering to herself, and Usagi hung up her wet rain coat before following. In the kitchen, she greeted her younger brother and father, both already seated for dinner. She'd arrived home at the right time, for the meal was just now done.

As they ate, the table hummed with light conversation, and a few petty arguments between the two siblings. Shingo never asked why his older sister returned home, he could tell by the underlying somber mood that something had happened. Instead he chose to act as everything were perfectly normal, which included the prodding and teasing of the older blonde at every turn.

By the time Usagi ascended the stairs, saying she wanted to tuck in early, her shoulders slumped, her facial features dropped. Every bit of stress that she locked away that morning came back full force, almost dizzying her to the point of collapsing. Still, she trudged up the stairs slowly, to the room she now called home.

The blonde pulled her dress off, and the black leggings underneath. Too exhausted, both mentally and physically, for a pajama search, she simply pulled the covers back and fell into her bed with only her undergarments. For a moment, the room fell silent, still.

The first sob rose in her throat as the image she'd miraculously fought down all day long returned, with a nasty vengeance. The bloody carnage that would be printed in her subconscious forever played over and over, whether she closed or opened her eyes. The grief struck so viciously she couldn't breathe.

Convulsions of misery ran through her body, and she gently rocked back and forth in the bed, trying to let it all out. _Mamo-chan, what should I do? How can I live? Please come back. Please come back. Please..._

"Please," Usagi whispered the word into the darkness, and it seemed to reverberate again and again in the silence. For a long time she sat there sobbing, then becoming completely still, catatonic. With no energy or emotion left, she fell asleep.

**xXx**

When the blonde awoke the next morning, her head throbbing so viciously she sparsely moved, she lay in her bed for a long time. The dim rays of dawn slowly brightened, splaying golden rays across the wall opposite the window. Usagi watched the shadows lifting numbly, slowly gathering her temperament for another day.

When she heard the door open and close twice, she knew her brother left for school and her father for work. She rose from the bed and rummaged through her drawers, grabbing a set of clean clothes and heading for the bathroom. Standing under the hot stream of water, she didn't move to wash her hair for at least fifteen minutes.

The outfit she unwittingly grabbed turned out to be Minako's old blue jumpsuit with the white tee shirt underneath. Somehow along the way it got shifted into her wardrobe, not too unusual considering how often outfits cycled around the group of five girls. While she brushed her teeth, the doorbell sounded from down stairs.

Rinsing, Usagi listened as her mother spoke with the person at the door, but when she descended the stairs, she never expected the four young women to be standing in the entrance, removing their shoes.

"Bunny!" Minako noticed her first, fellow blonde rushing the staircase and crushing her into a hug. Not a whole second passed before Usagi returned the embrace, her eyes welling with tears. "Oh, Bunny, I wish I had known in time to come yesterday. You should've called my cell phone. I would've been right over."

"It's okay, you're here now," as the words fell from her lips, Usagi realized how strongly she meant them. Ami, Makoto, and Rei joined them at the bottom of the stairs, hugging the teary eyed blonde in turn when they finally pried the sniffling Minako off of her. Just being in the presence of her four best friends, sisters at heart, made Usagi feel worlds stronger.

The girls congregated to the living room, taking seats while Makoto mused, "It almost feels like the old days again, all of us together." The tall brunette wore her work attire, a pair of black pants and a forest green shirt. The apron was missing, probably left in her car.

"Yeah," Rei nodded but her tone was only half-hearted. In the old days, they wouldn't act so gloomy. A bit of silence settled over them, before the raven haired girl asked softly, "Have they found out anything yet?"

"Not yet," Usagi answered just as quiet, her eyes roaming over the other four faces. Judging by expressions, she knew Rei had filled them all in on what happened to every extent.

"Looking stylish in my outfit, eh Bunny?" Minako broke their somber atmosphere with her impish grin, and the other blonde smiled back, nodding.

"In all fairness, you still have my favorite sweater," Usagi prodded, laughing as Minako gave her a sheepish look. It increased as Rei began to list off her missing items, some of which Makoto claimed to have, while Ami informed Rei of the outfits the priestess had somehow hijacked from her closet.

Within a few minutes, the girls were laughing merrily, reliving their school days like a bunch of old maids, even though they were fresh out of high school. However, Usagi cut the meeting short, saying she couldn't be late no matter what. They convened outside her home and she waved goodbye before rushing toward the bus stop.

"She seems okay," Ami commented gently, her blue eyes still watching the retreating blonde down the sidewalk.

"Better than I thought," Makoto agreed, fishing in her pocket for her keys distractedly. Rei remained silent, her violet eyes distant and emotional.

"She's still Usagi through and through, pretending to be okay so we won't worry." They all turned to Minako, the usually cheerful girl frowning after their disappeared leader. "But one look in her eyes and I can see her heart is broken."

**xXx**

He stopped across the street, leaning leisurely against the nearest building in the shade of the overhang. Just another nameless face in the crowd, that's what he became. Then she was there, her golden blonde hair standing out clearly in the sunlight. She appeared winded as she stopped in front of the flower shop, and paused to catch her breath before walking in.

"So that's her?" He glared fiercely to his right, but only a laugh responded from the orange haired man who stood there, mimicking his posture. "She's pretty; gorgeous even. But you see, Farfarello, I still can't figure out your motive. You're investing way too much into this one. So what makes her special?"

"Mind your own fucking business." He absolutely seethed. He hated Schuldich enough in the moment to kill him. But there was no point in that. It would ruin his plan, and not even God gave a shit about a bastard like Schuldich.

"You should let me have a go at her first. I can break her in for you." That goddamned smile. He could rip it right off his face. His fingers clenched at the thought of the blades he had discreetly tucked away, ready for any suitable moment. _The plan_.

"I'll gut you." The three words fell with such ferocious sincerity that the smile on his counterpart's face faltered. Still, the expression returned just as quickly.

"Well, well Farfarello. You should be careful, I think you've fallen for this one." Whatever he said next he didn't know, didn't hear, couldn't recall later. Whatever it _was_, Schuldich's expression darkened, and he slipped back into the crowd wordlessly.

He turned his eye back to his target. Goddamn smiling bastard Schuldich.

**xXx**

"Hullo Omi-kun, Yohji-kun!" Her eyes scanned the room, falling on the brunette near the back. "Ken-kun! Aya-kun has the day off today? That's a rarity."

"Hey Usagi," Omi smiled pleasantly as she joined him behind the counter to tuck her things away. As she turned to grab her work apron, the cell phone in her purse went off, startling both blondes.

"Sorry, I forgot to shut it off." Usagi smiled apologetically as she snatched up the pink phone, moon charm swinging with the sudden movement. Her finger moved to mute the sound, alerting her of a new voice message (odd because the phone hadn't rang at all), when she recognized the number flashing across the screen.

Her body went completely rigid. She could sense Omi turn back toward her, his blue eyes concerned, but her world was spinning. Fast and off its axel. Slowly her finger moved, subconsciously, silencing the phone once and for all.

"Usagi?" Omi's voice jolted Usagi into alertness again. She smiled at him automatically, but her hands were trembling. He stood from his stool and guided her into the seat, looking concerned as her eyes turned back to the phone. "Usagi? Who was it?"

"Mamoru," the blonde managed to whisper. This time Omi froze, glancing at the phone uneasily while Usagi moved into action. She dialed her voicemail, punching in her password as quickly as her quaking fingers would allow. The voicemail clicked on, and the operator began to speak.

"_You have one new message received Saturday, September 16th at 4:47 pm._" The monotone female voice informed. Usagi unconsciously gulped. That was two days ago, not ten minutes after the message she'd received about their abrupt dinner date. Why didn't she get the message then? The end of the short pause cut her thoughts, and much too sudden, the sound of Mamoru's voice filled her ears.

"_Oh yeah, one more thing Usako. I love you._" Usagi choked. The cell phone clattered against the floor. Everyone in the shop froze. The world went dark.

**xXx**

Okay, I realize the chapter is ridiculously short. I simply _had_ to end it right here. You ever get that feeling, writing a chapter, and you know that's the spot to end? Well, that's what happened.

I felt this chapter was a bit lacking compared to its predecessors. Lacking what exactly? I don't know, but something. Hopefully you'll forgive me for the long absence and honor me with reviews.

I seem to only be able to write this story after pulling an all-nighter and being slightly crazed on sleep deprivation. Ha.

**Pairings? **Well, lots of inquiries about Usagi's pairing. Firstly, I'm not entirely sure yet. I'm still plotting events out in my head so we'll see how the character chemistry works out. Secondly, my main objective here is to stick to the plot of Farfie stalking Usagi, so the pairing will be in second place to anything else. I realize this may turn off a few readers but I don't want to ruin the story by running off with a mushy romance, as has been the downfall of many a good story.

**Chills? **I received a lot of reviews talking about the cold chills and goose bumps, so I thought I'd gloat here for minute. :3 -gloat gloat-

-SachiNyoko


	5. One More Day

All Usagi knew when she came to, her head throbbed, again. Something, maybe instinct, let her know that someone else was in the room with her, so she kept her eyes shut tight and tried to fit together her scattered thoughts. She woke up that morning, the girls came over, and then she went to work.

There, that's when it all flooded back into her, like a cold that oozed from her head down to her toes. The voicemail.

_I must have passed out_. Nothing in her power could be done to ebb the tears that fell from the corners of her eyes. Even though she squeezed her eyelids so much her head pounded worse than ever, they kept coming. Finally, she relented and opened her eyes to an unfamiliar room. A strange bed, as well, and her heart rate quickened for a moment. That's when he spoke.

"Hey." Her blue eyes shifted to her right, where the tall form of her redheaded boss leaned into the wall, his arms crossed. Usagi tried harder than ever to stop crying, wiping at her tears fiercely. "Omi refused to go back to work if I didn't stay here. This is his room."

As if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, as though she weren't an emotional wreck, Aya spoke to her in his usual even tone. Though she found it disturbing, something in the stability of his emotion was comforting. She offered a broken laugh before saying, "That sounds like him. I haven't been out long, right? I'll get back to work."

"Wait." The blonde froze, her legs dangling over the edge of the bed already. His intense violet eyes rooted her to the spot, however, and she didn't move an inch while waiting on him to speak. It took a minute or two for him to finally ask, "Why?"

"_Why_?" Usagi echoed, meeting his gaze. Everything about Aya, ever since the first day she walked into the flower shop, the whole time she had worked there, she never understood. He embodied a complete enigma to her, and she wondered, did he expect her to know what to answer just by that one word question?

"Why are you still here? Why are you still smiling? Why do you keep coming into work like nothing is wrong?" He fired the questions at her one after the other, catching her totally off guard. Of all the people to question her, she never thought it would be Aya. She drew in a steadying breath before she answered.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Usagi stood then, brushing imaginary dust from the blue jumpsuit she wore, courtesy of Minako, and looked at Aya with a smile. "What should I do instead? How should I act? I wish I knew the answer myself. I just know that sitting at home crying all day is not me. Being depressed won't make anything better, and I think wherever Mamoru is he would be upset if I was acting like that. I'll get back to work."

As she walked out of the room, still working out why Aya had asked her all those questions, a thought came to her. _Maybe Aya lost someone. Maybe that's why he acts like he does. Maybe that's why he asked those things._

Usagi paused in the stairwell, only a few steps away from the entrance back into the shop. Shaking her head, the blonde knew she would never gain the courage to ask the redhead personally, so it was better not to dwell on the matter. She passed through the door silently, grabbed her apron, and finished tying it before Omi turned and noticed she was there. As she observed the clock, realizing she was only out for an hour, the younger blonde enveloped her in a hug.

"Um, Omi-kun?" He instantly jerked away from her, red as a beet, realizing just what he'd done. The look on his face made her smile, and she said, "Thank you for worrying about me, Omi-kun. Oh, and for letting me borrow your room."

"N-No problem," Omi responded, returning to the counter as a customer walked in. Usagi retrieved the orders for flower arrangements and retreated to her work table, nodding to Ken and Yohji as she passed them. As she engrossed herself in the flowers, she let her thoughts slip from her mind, she felt at peace.

In that sense, the day passed by quickly, much too quickly. When the last arrangement made it to the truck for delivery, she walked around the counter and hung her apron on its designated hook. Turning, her eyes fell instantly on the pink cell phone sitting next to the register. Her heart jumped in her throat.

_Don't be stupid_, her mind chided as she closed her hand around the phone and slid it into her purse hastily. She grabbed the purse and headed for the door, nearly colliding with the person standing behind her; Aya.

"Oh, Aya, you startled me." Usagi flashed him a smile before she stepped around him, but he didn't let her get too far before he stopped her.

"Wait. I'm going with you." The blonde girl turned with her eyes widened in surprise. Ken had already disappeared from the shop, but Yohji watched the scene with interest. Aya walked around the frozen Usagi and toward the door, until she finally regained semi consciousness and followed.

"What do you mean you're going with me?" She implored after they reached the sidewalk.

"The bus stop is several blocks from the shop. I'm walking you there." Aya elaborated, still walking. Usagi opened her mouth to question him further, but decided against it. Instead she sent glances at him every few seconds, wondering what spawned the sudden concern for her well being. She couldn't shake her earlier thoughts, and found herself wondering more than ever what had made Aya the way he was now. "We're here."

"Oh. Thank you, Aya-kun." Usagi nearly bit her tongue. She never called him 'Aya-kun,' he was her boss after all, but he didn't seem to mind. In fact, the redhead only nodded at her, the only acknowledgment he heard her at all, and continued to stand there. "You don't have to wait here with me, I'll be fine."

"It's not a problem." Aya said, his violet eyes focused down the road, waiting for a visual of the approaching bus. The blue eyed girl silenced, looking at her shoes, as her mind wandered back to the phone barely poking out of her bag. The message replayed again in her mind, but she pushed it away. The last thing she wanted was to start crying in front of Aya again. She shifted her line of vision to the opposite side of the street.

"Aya," she whispered, as softly as she could. The redhead still heard her, because he turned his head to look at her, his eyes questioning. Just as she prepared to point out the form she thought stood below the overhang, she turned back and they were gone. Just like that. A chill, like an ice cube sliding down her spine, enveloped her completely.

_What if someone really is after me? They know where I work, where I live, who I know, and they want to kill me. Or worse._ Usagi stuffed her hands into her pockets, not wanting Aya to notice that they were trembling. The implication that whoever murdered Mamoru was after her and really wanted her dead, it was something she realized before but didn't completely consider. But the man she'd seen in the window that afternoon, and on the way home that evening, didn't he resemble the person she just saw? The same she thought she saw in the window again the next day?

"Something is wrong." The blonde jumped, visibly. Her world spun. Did he see the same guy? "You're shaking."

"Oh, well, it's getting kind of cold, don't you think? Look, here comes the bus." Aya's violet eyes finally turned as the bus pulled up. The doors opened, and Usagi smiled at him as well as she could with her thoughts still teeming, "See you tomorrow, Aya-kun."

**xXx**

He'd seen it. Oh, had he seen it. There had never been anything so beautiful; the contortion of features on her face while her body went as rigid as a stone. He was extremely pissed when she walked out with _him_, with one of the kittens. Tonight should have been a big night: he was to allow her to see him again, face to face, but not with _him_ around. Now his anger subdued, the look of pure horror still etched in his mind.

She would be his; she was falling right into his hands. He couldn't have imagined it going any better. Since their meeting had been prolonged, he decided he would wait one more day for his next victim. One more day.

**xXx**

Usagi stood at the kitchen counter, part of that morning's newspaper spread out on the surface in front of her and the telephone receiver to her ear. Ikuko Tsukino, busy bustling over the stove for their dinner, hardly noticed what her daughter was doing. When she began to set the table, however, the snippets of conversation she overheard caught her interest. Only a moment passed before she realized the piece of newspaper was the classifieds.

"Next week? I really need tomorrow. Yes. Yes. Okay, thanks anyway." The blonde placed the phone back and sighed, crossing off another square with a black magic marker. While Ikuko set the food out on the table, she kept her attentions on her oldest child.

Finally, she asked, "Usagi, dear, what are you doing?"

"Nothing," Usagi responded automatically, her finger running across the page to the next circled square. Picking up the receiver, she quickly punched in the numbers at the bottom of the ad and waited as the line rang. In a moment, the person picked up. "Hello, this is Usagi Tsukino. I'm calling about the apartment you advertised in today's paper. Yes. Nineteen. Yes. Tomorrow is perfect; I can have the deposit ready. Thank you!"

"Usagi." As the blonde spun around, a smile of satisfaction on her face, she nearly ran into her mother head on. The blue haired woman was standing, hands on her hips, glaring down at her only daughter. Usagi gulped. "You are not moving out of this house."

Instead of the temper she expected, or the whining, Usagi didn't protest at all. She said, as calm as ever, "I am. Thank you for letting me stay the past couple of days, but if there's a chance any of you may be in danger because of me, I don't want to stay. Besides," she smiled cheerfully, as though the gloom of her previous statement hadn't existed at all, "it's a lot closer to work and it's really cheap."

"Usagi, I'm worried about _you_," her mother enveloped her in a hug, and the blue eyed girl returned it full force, smiling. "If you move out I'll worry about you all the time. Please just stay here, okay? You'll be safer, and nothing will happen to us."

"You don't know that." Usagi pulled away and squeezed her mother's hands in her own, smiling brightly. "Just trust me, okay?"

**xXx**

Usagi smiled and waved as the moving truck finally pulled away. Once the door shut on her new apartment, however, she groaned and collapsed onto the plain blue couch. Her own blue eyes surveyed the many unopened boxes of stuff, half from her old room and half things the police dropped off at her parent's house that morning, declaring it irrelevant to the case. The prospect of not having to wear her old high school clothes excited her, but it hit even harder than ever that Mamoru was gone.

"We still haven't gotten any leads," the detective had told her apologetically. The blonde wondered, if life were like a crime scene television show wouldn't the bad guy be caught and brought to justice already? Sighing, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket again and hit redial for the third time that day.

_Oh yeah, one more thing Usako. I love you. _

"I'm pathetic." Usagi shoved the phone back into her pocket and stood, stretching her taut muscles. Exhaling, she looked around and picked the first box to start unloading. For several hours she unloaded one box at a time, pausing only when she came to photo albums and picture frames of herself and Mamoru. There were so many things to remind her of him. She repacked all of these pictures into one of the empty boxes and stuck it in the closet.

Finally, she faced the very last box, the one she dreaded the most. Cutting through the tape with a kitchen knife, she gently opened the four tabs and peered inside, as though an animal were waiting to jump out and attack her. Instead, it was a green jacket.

Again the tears came without warning. Silently she walked to the front door and locked it, engaging the chain for good measure. Then she returned to the open box, and dug around until she found a simple button up white dress shirt. She slipped off her pink sweater and slid the shirt on over her camisole, buttoning up the buttons.

Walking into the single bedroom of the small apartment, she lay down on the bare mattress and curled into a ball, letting the faint scent of Mamoru's cologne surround her. Her eyes fell on the ring still around her finger, never taken off. "Am I going to live like this forever?"

The empty question echoed in the room. Usagi lay still, trying to drift off to sleep, for at least an hour until she heard her cell phone ring. She pulled it from her pocket and looked at the caller id, an unknown number. Still, she hit the talk button and said, "Hello?"

"_Usagi, come to the hospital right now._"

**xXx**

Gasp! Another evil ending! D: Guess you'll just have to review for more!

SachiNyoko


	6. Picture Message

Her heart thrummed. Her chest ached from the organ that was beating so rapidly against her rib cage. The panic-filled voice still echoed a constant in her mind as she drove toward the hospital. The sound rang in her ears as she circled up the multilevel parking garage, looking for an empty space. Background noises, people talking, babies crying, dinging elevator doors, everything reached her in a distorted hum as she headed for the Intensive Care Unit.

As soon as the door opened to her, a shell shocked Minako immediately turned, like she sensed her friend's presence in the room. The fellow blonde jumped from the chair in one jerky movement, almost a twitch, and leapt into Usagi's arms, crying. Maybe if Usagi could remember what tears were in that moment, she would've cried too. Her brain, instead, was shutting down.

"Usagi, I found her. I was just going to bug her, you know, because she was meditating but when I got there," Minako choked on her own words, and could say no more. She trembled against Usagi and sobbed, while she finally realized what had happened. Rei. Something had happened to her best friend. That's when she spotted Yuuichiro, silent, in the chair next to Minako's abandoned one. He sat very still, his face as white as a sheet, and neglected acknowledgement that he knew anyone else was there with him.

"Are you Ms. Tsukino?" Usagi's head turned toward the timid looking girl who addressed her. Though she didn't act it, her white coat indicated her to be the head doctor on call. The red smears across her uniform made Usagi's stomach do a somersault as she nodded. "Rei Hino has you listed as her first emergency contact, so I can update you on her condition."

"Wait," Usagi sputtered. She never knew that Rei had done that. "I have no idea what happened."

"Oh," the doctor appeared even more uncomfortable than before. Minako still sobbed violently against her shoulder, the woman glanced at her, before she began to relay the information as though reading from a particularly boring text book. The blonde thought she didn't feel that detached, but it was the only way she could cope. "Rei Hino was found earlier today with a very violent stab wound in her stomach. By the time the paramedics reached her she was unconscious from blood loss. We've been working on her since. The wound itself is patched up, her condition is stable, but..."

It was the kind of drift off that meant nothing good. The doctor avoided her eyes more than ever. Minako quieted somewhat, probably waiting for the news, for what happened to Rei. Finally the doctor regained professional composure. Usagi wondered why she became a doctor if she knew she couldn't handle this part of the job. "She's in a coma."

Minako emitted a strangled noise before her hands clenched around Usagi even tighter. Yuuichiro didn't move an inch, as though he was so out of it he had heard nothing of what was said. Makoto and Ami exploded through the doors in that second, the last two to arrive. Still the blue-eyed girl did not move an inch. She let Minako cling to her. When her other two friends asked what had happened, she told them in the same fashion she had berated the doctor for.

She couldn't cry. The doctor said she would be able to see her alone, the others following one at a time. Usagi followed the woman down the hallway, past scurrying nurses and beeping machines and endless chaos. She vaguely heard about the dark haired girl being kept in ICU while her wound healed, and if she wasn't out of the coma she would be moved to another floor.

Finally they stopped. Usagi slipped past the doctor, into the room, and let her blue eyes fall on the most painful sight she'd ever seen. The most vivacious, strong-willed woman she ever knew; one Rei Hino and her best friend in the world. That same person lay limply in the hospital bed, her skin pallid, and her face slack and lifeless. It was not the same person at all.

Her feet brought her to the bedside. Fingers reached out slowly to touch her face, to make sure this wasn't an illusion.

"Ms. Tsukino?" Usagi visibly jumped, retracted her hand as though scalded. Her blue eyes fell on the person in the doorway. He was a young man, maybe a few years older than herself, with wildly dark hair and even darker eyes. He smiled politely as he walked to her, extending his hand. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I'm Detective Arashi, and I'll be heading your case from now on."

Usagi shook his hand numbly as he continued talking. "We believe strongly with these new developments that someone may be after your life. I understand you've moved into an apartment on your own these past few days."

"I have," she was shocked to find her vocal chords still in working order.

"Perhaps you'll agree now that maybe that's not the best idea?" If the objective of this detective was to scare the holy hell out of her, he was doing a great job. The next movement in the room she barely caught, but suddenly she knew someone was standing beside her, and her new detective looked a bit shaken as well.

"Usagi, darling," Yohji smiled down at her in his usual way. The gesture sent a flood of relief through her. Her new detective twisted his face into a frown as he sized up the tall blonde man now presented to him.

"Yohji, dearest," Usagi managed to say, trying to mimic their usually flippancy. She failed, and instead explained, "Um, this is Detective Arashi. He's the lead detective on my case now."

"So I heard." Yohji glanced over the scowling detective and then looked over at the raven haired girl in the bed. A tense silence drifted between them for several moments, until the blonde girl cleared her throat softly. She gathered the attention of the room easily.

"Um, could you both, please," she found herself stumbling over words, a trait unlike herself. The two seemed to understand; the detective left first and Yohji gave her a look she couldn't quite read before he followed. She let it pass, not dwelling, and turned instead to the hospital bed. The silence of the room constricted around her wholly. Not even the machines beeped, they just flashed numbers and stats at her that meant absolutely nothing.

Subconsciously Usagi walked toward the still form of her best friend and fellow senshi. Her fingers brushed lightly against Rei's pale cheek, her oddly peaceful expression. Still silent, she didn't cry. Her body could not react to the deeply cutting emotion that spilled through her.

"I'm so sorry. Forgive me." Usagi imagined if Rei were conscious, she might say, _I already have_. Yet she wasn't, so the blonde found no comfort.

It took commanding strength and will to walk back through the ICU with her chin up, most that she didn't think she possessed. The nurse took Minako away next, the other blonde mostly composed now, and Usagi approached Yuuichiro. He didn't look at her to begin with, but when she bowed, his dazed eyes seemed to shift toward her. She could hardly tell under his wild brown hair.

"I'm so sorry, Yuuichiro. This is my fault." Her voice wavered, almost crumbled into nothing, but she managed to reel it back. She waited, thinking maybe he would say something. He never did, and she couldn't say anything else.

**xXx**

"What are you trying to achieve?" Usagi stood at the window of her apartment, letting the silence wrap around her in comfort, a harsh contrast to the chaotic hospital she had been in earlier that day. Her mind still reeled, she tried to force the image of her lifeless friend but it appeared seared into the back of her eyelids. "What have I done to make you hate me?"

It fell that the only solution she could entertain was this; someone she had unknowingly spited now sought revenge, and they knew the best way to get to her. They knew that going after her would do no good, so they went after her loved ones instead. Usagi felt her heart twist in her chest, and thought maybe it was breaking.

"On the contrary," the blonde went completely rigid. _Did I just hear that_? She kept her blue eyes locked on the glass, her focus wavering between the reflection on the glass and the scenes on the other side of the translucent material.

When she saw the movement behind her, her body automatically jerked. She stared at the empty room behind her, her heart pounding so loud she could hear it echo across the apartment. Her breathing was so labored it might have been junior high again and she just burst into homeroom, late as usual. Her trembling hands felt for the door knob.

In a flash, Usagi slammed the door behind her and took the stairs two at a time. She took no notice of the people that stared as she whipped past them on the sidewalk. Panic gripped her, but she could see her destination now. Her feet nearly skidded over the concrete as she stopped in front of the glass door. The closed sign can't have been flipped more than ten minutes ago, the streets were mostly quiet, but Usagi beat her hand against the glass frantically.

When she spotted the familiar form of Omi appear, and he flicked the lights back on in the shop, the relief flooded her so completely that she burst into tears. The blonde boy rushed to the door and opened it for her. With no more strength to hold her legs up, she fell forward. Omi caught her, with more strength than he appeared to posses, and hauled her back to her feet with relative ease.

Usagi leaned against him, sobbing, hysterical. Some part of her remained sane, wanted her to pull her emotions together, but the other part won over easily. She trembled and shook all over while Omi relocked the door, and then turned back to her. His normally kind face was twisted into a frown as he supported her weight, leading her over to the table she normally made her arrangements at and sat her down.

"Usagi, what's wrong?" The blonde wrapped her arms around her torso, trying desperately to control her shivering. Her teeth chattered as though she were cold, tears still squeezed from the corners of her eyes. Ken arrived at the top of the stairs to ask Omi what was up. He spotted the frenzied blonde then, with Omi knelt in front of her trying his best to calm her down.

The brunette crossed the room to Usagi, pulled her from the chair, and put his arms around her, saying, "Usagi, calm down. You're safe."

When he said this, she believed him. No one could get to her here, now. Her tears subsided first, then her trembling, until she managed to get her breathing steady. Ken released her, though he remained close, still concerned. "What happened?"

"He was there, in my apartment." She heard herself say. The fear came back to her, but she wavered with doubt. _Wasn't he? Am I going crazy? What if I imagined it?_

"Who was, Usagi?" Omi asked this time. He seemed to have drawn closer to her as well, his hand placed on her arm to grab her attention. She kept spacing out. Tangling her fingers in her hair, she focused on the question.

"The killer. He was in my apartment." Ken and Omi shared a look. _God, I am crazy and they know it_. She massaged her temples, trying to dispel the oncoming migraine. Then she reached for her pocket, where her cell phone rested, "I need to call the police, that detective."

They both agreed with her. She was put through to Detective Arashi, who she'd met that morning in Rei's Hospital room. As she relayed the details of what happened, her stomach did flip flops inside of her. _He's probably long gone by now. I must look insane._

She flipped the phone closed, aware of Ken and Omi still looking at her. It was Omi who spoke first, "Usagi, I think you should stay with us. It's too dangerous to be by yourself with all of this happening."

The way he spoke, slow and deliberate, told Usagi he was choosing his words carefully. She bit her lip as Ken nodded his assent. "Omi is right. You'll be safe here."

"I don't think I should," the blonde responded, her voice just above a whisper. She kept her blue eyes on the floor. "I mean, you're probably in danger already, and staying here would just make it worse." As an afterthought, she added softly, "Everyone is in danger because of me."

"Hey, we can take care of ourselves." Omi assured, touching her arm again to bring her out of her reverie. "I won't take no for an answer. You can have my room, okay? Please."

Between his pleading eyes and Ken's stubborn frown, she caved. "Alright. Detective Arashi said I can't go back tonight anyway while they comb for any evidence he might have left. I'll stay for now."

**xXx**

He'd followed her.

She was quick, given; easily lived up to her namesake of a rabbit. That made him the wolf, he thought, grinning. He watched the scene unfold with the kittens. Though he didn't exactly relish in the situation, he knew she would be running there. It was only a minor setback, really.

He held the cell phone in his hand, his eye flickering with something anyone might consider maniacal. One finger traced the circle of the camera lens, and he resisted the urge to laugh out loud. His only regret, he wouldn't be able to see her face when she saw what he had in store.

But that couldn't be helped. Everything was running smoothly now. He was slowly breaking her, breaking her halo, ripping off those perfect angel wings. He stared across the street at those eyes, dimming, etched in pain and doubt.

He loved it.

**xXx**

Usagi stepped from the shower, the steam in the bathroom thick all around her. She'd stood under the torrent of scalding water until it ran cold, until her creamy pale skin shone an angry red. Yet as she wrapped the towel around her, she still didn't feel clean. Wiping at the mirror until she could make out her slightly blurry reflection, she grimaced back at herself.

"What are you turning into, Usagi?" She asked the blonde in the mirror. Her lips puckered in an unrelenting frown, and her eyes echoed nothing but sadness. The opposite of her usual personality, she noted. Whoever this person after her was, he did a great job of tearing her apart.

A noise from the adjoining bedroom brought her mind back to reality. The cell phone she left lying on the nightstand next to Omi's bed emitted its musical tone, alerting her to a message. Still clad in only a towel, she slid the bathroom door open to check for any of the guys, and stepped in the room when she knew the coast was clear.

The small LCD screen flashed merrily at her. She picked up the pink cell phone and flipped it open. One new picture message from Pyro. Usagi felt her hands start to tremble. She remembered the day that Rei went cell phone shopping with her. They both wanted a camera phone; it was the coolest new thing. When they programmed each other's numbers, Rei had typed in Meatball Head, so she had countered with Pyro.

Her head swam with thoughts of Mamoru's phantom voicemail. Maybe this was along the same lines. Maybe she should call her cell phone service provider and ask why this was happening. Her finger hovered over the key to open the message for a moment, before she finally pressed it.

Her free hand slapped over her mouth to muffle the scream that emanated from her throat. Usagi thought she would never get over the image of Rei lying helpless in her hospital bed, but she was terribly wrong. Horrified, she still couldn't look away until her hand snapped the phone shut and she tossed it away from her as though it had burned her.

Her trembling legs managed to get her to the bathroom as she threw up what little she had managed to eat that day. The image floated there, at the front of her mind, of Rei covered in blood, her dead violet eyes turned forcibly toward the camera. She vomited until there was nothing but her own stomach bile left. Then Usagi curled in the corner of the bathroom, crying all the tears that wouldn't come to her before.

**xXx**

Oh dear. Well you know the next victim. If it's any consolation, she didn't die. At least not yet. Things get a little more intense. What will become of our poor little Usagi? Tune in to find out! Review!

♥SachiNyoko♥


	7. Safe

Usagi tied her hair back into a ponytail and stared at her reflection in the mirror, her lips pulled into a thin line. Her eyes, clouded with misery, were also set in determination. Moving back into the bedroom, she picked up her cell phone and flipped it open. Tapping her fingers over the keys, she went into her inbox and erased the message from the previous night.

Then she powered off the phone, removed the battery, and placed the two separate pieces on the dresser aside each other. She could faintly hear the guys moving around outside the door. Redressing in her clothes from yesterday, Usagi grabbed her purse and headed out.

"I'm going to my apartment. I need clothes," she told Aya, the first person she came across. He glanced at her, and then shrugged. "I may be a bit late for work, okay?"

"Fine," Aya replied. Satisfied, she left, stepping out into the busy morning sidewalk. The sunlight hit her, warming her face, and she took in a deep breath, forcing herself to smile.

_He won't win_, she told herself again. Heading out, she smiled at passersby, kept her body relaxed. There were detectives present when she arrived at her apartment, and she greeted them cheerfully.

"Good morning officers!" The two she spoke to shared a look of reproach before gazing over the smiling blonde. "I just came by to pick up some clothes. As long as they aren't confiscated or anything, you know. I would hate to be stuck in the same outfit for however long it takes to process evidence."

"Miss Tsukino." Usagi turned, and when she recognized Detective Arashi, she offered him the same smile. He actually returned it before continuing. "Retrieving some clothes should be fine, we're almost done here anyway. Have you found someplace safe to stay?"

"I'm staying with some friends," she nodded as she followed him back to her room. Fishing a suitcase from the closet, she began pulling a few outfits from her drawers and closet, along with a few other necessities. "How much longer will it take? I do want to move back into my apartment soon."

Detective Arashi acted completely floored when she said this, but Usagi just smiled, waiting patiently for an answer. He sputtered several times before he could string together any coherent words. "Miss Tsukino, I think, I mean, surely you aren't serious? Be reasonable, the criminal was here, in your place of living. You can't just come right back and wait for him to kill you."

"Last I remember, detective," her voice still radiated content, but the underlying finality could not be missed, "I'm allowed to do as I please since this is my apartment and I am a grown woman. You are welcome to place patrol cars outside or give me a gun or whatever you feel like, but I will be staying in my own home."

Usagi paused, and said softer, "Look, the obvious objective of this creep is to torment me. I'm not letting him win, not anymore, and I'm not putting the people I love in danger. Please understand."

Lifting her suitcase in one hand, she bowed and thanked him before leaving the apartment, pausing to wave to the other two officers. As she walked back to the flower shop, still smiling, she wondered if he was watching right now.

_I hope so, you bastard, I really do_. The bell on the door jingled merrily as she stepped in. Two regular customers from the local high school waved at her and she returned the gesture before addressing Ken, who was working the counter. "I'm going to change and I'll be right up."

"Sure, Usagi." Ken followed her retreating form with his eyes, and when the door closed behind her, he looked over at Yohji with his eyebrows arched. The blonde man simply shrugged and went back to watering the flowers. Ten minutes passed before the blue eyed girl returned, tying her aprons strings at the base of her back and humming lightly to herself.

"Excuse me, miss." As Usagi set her arrangement orders out on her usual table, her attention was drawn to a male customer a few years older than her, judging by appearance. Smiling, she tilted her head slightly, a gesture for him to continue. "I want to get my fiancé some flowers. I'm taking her out tonight. I usually get red roses, but they're so..."

"Cliché?" Usagi ended for him when he trailed off. Her smile faltered only slightly, nary enough for an untrained eye to catch. However, since her customer was the only untrained eye in the shop it did not go unnoticed. Laughing lightly, Usagi continued, "I know what you mean. You're looking for something a bit different, then? I always recommend tulips."

She placed her orders aside and led him to the section of tulips, explaining what the different colors meant. Yet as they stood in plain view of the sidewalk beyond, him muttering over the pink or the red tulips, she couldn't help feel unnerved. People walked by, absorbed in their lives, chattering on phones or with each other, checking palm pilots. _Is he out there, looking just like anyone else?_

"Do you think the pink will be okay?" Usagi turned, startled, when her customer addressed her again. Smiling apologetically, she glanced at the pink tulips thoughtfully.

"Pink is nice. Pink tulips stand for caring. But," the blonde turned and pointed at the yellow tulips a little ways away with a smile, "Yellow tulips mean you're hopelessly in love. Plus, I think yellow is a much happier color, don't you?"

Less than ten minutes later the man was walking out with an arm full of yellow tulips, Usagi smiling cheerfully after him. Once he was out of sight, she dropped her hand, sighed, and returned to her table. The day passed quickly, almost monotonously, making it easy on Usagi to keep her façade going. When the shop closed, she untied her apron and grabbed the keys from the counter, turning to go lock the door.

The bell on the door jingled, bringing her gaze from the floor. "I'm sorry, we're closed," she paused, blinking at the smiling brunette, "Makoto?"

"I was hoping to catch you. The detectives at your apartment told me you were staying with friends and I called around to the girls. I figured you must be here." Makoto looked a bit sheepish as she stepped forward, well aware of Ken watching them from behind the counter. "I'm meeting Minako for dinner. Do you want to come?"

Usagi stood completely still for a moment, and it took a nudge from Ken to bring her back to reality. He held his hand out for the keys and she gave them up before smiling at Makoto. "Of course. Where are we going?"

**xXx**

"Usagi!" Her fellow blonde enveloped her in a hug, and she smiled despite herself at Minako's unrelenting flare for the dramatics. After being released, the three young women settled at their table and picked up their menus. Usagi quickly discarded hers, set on ordering whatever Makoto did. She always knew best when it came to food anyway.

Instead she let her mind wander over the crowded restaurant, the wait staff weaving past one another like trained performers, expertly balancing trays weighed down with steaming dinners and wine glasses alike. Happy banter bounced back and forth between dates, friends, coworkers, husbands and wives while their children scribbled happily on the paper table cloths with the assortment of crayons left for their amusement. For the first time in several weeks, she felt at peace.

Carefully avoiding the red, Usagi lifted the blue crayon and began decorating her portion of the table with flowers, her mind half thinking of the arrangements she'd saved for tomorrow's work. The clink of silverware on plates morphed into an odd rhythm that her hand kept time with, stroking one blue petal to the next.

"Usagi?" Her hand jerked, the half petal she'd been on lengthening much too far and throwing off the flower completely. Startled, she looked between the perplexed Minako and Makoto, until the waitress standing on the other side of her brunette friend cleared her throat softly.

"Do you want something to drink, ma'am?" The young girl kept her voice kind and tempered, though the blonde knew she was probably annoyed at having to ask such a simple, straightforward question multiple times. Feeling a slight flush creeping over her face in embarrassment, Usagi sat the blue crayon aside.

"Um, just water please. Thank you," Her mind protested, and she ignored it. The waitress smiled obligingly and nodded, though she held an air of condescension behind it and Usagi didn't really mind. She figured she probably looked like someone who could use a drink at the moment.

"Hey, girl, are you okay?" Minako reached her hand across the table to squeeze hers. The amount of comfort the small gesture brought threw Usagi, but only for a moment before she nodded affirmative. "I tried reaching you all day but your phone has been going straight to voicemail. I've been worried sick about you."

The previous night came rushing back so fast that Usagi had to be thankful she was seated at the table or she would've collapsed on the spot. Her phone flashing, Pyro lighting up the screen, the picture. Tears pricked the back of her eyes and she grabbed the edge of the table to steady herself. _It's fine, you're fine, the phone is useless now. Calm down_. The mantra soothed her enough so she could recover and smile sheepishly hoping neither of her friends detected her moment of turmoil.

"Oh yeah, I dropped it in the bathroom last night and it cracked right in half. Totally useless," she laughed at her own klutz attack. She hated lying, especially to her friends. But they were none the wiser and laughed with her. She remembered the pink phone sitting idly, battery removed, safe. _Safe, safe, safe, do I even know what that means any more?_

The conversation moved to other subjects so that Usagi could relax. The waitress returned with the drinks and took their orders. Makoto refused to let Usagi order the same thing but graciously ordered for her, saying, "It goes against the eating out rules. Everyone orders something different so we can steal each other's food."

Their fun continued through the meal and to Makoto's car, since Minako had taken a cab. They dropped Usagi at the shop and watched her make it safely inside before somber silence invaded the car. Minako turned her blue eyes on Makoto, her cheerful face etched in worry.

"She's even worse than I thought, Mako. She's hiding something from us, trying to take this on all by herself." She covered her mouth with her hand as the tears came, muttering a muffled, "What should we do?"

"I don't know, Mina." Makoto shook her head, voice throaty with her own emotion but unwilling to surrender to tears. "I just don't know."

**xXx**

Usagi placed the vase full of red gerbera near Rei's bed and settled into the available chair, pensive. They'd practically chased her from the flower shop that morning so she'd come to the only place she knew she wouldn't have to hold up her façade. The strange machines flashed at her, she could hear nurses and doctor's shuffling about the halls and catch small snippets of conversation about dose adjustments and status updates. Still, even with the knowledge of so many people nearby, she couldn't feel totally safe.

_Is this what I'm doomed to feel forever? Always paranoid, always fearing the worst is just around the corner?_ Usagi slumped in the chair, unable to conjure up the sobs or tears she would have been submitting to. Her half-lidded eyes stared at the bland white wall across from her, the halfhearted attempt to decorate in a generic framed painting of an ocean scene.

Blue eyes drifting closed, she let the pain consume her, the hollow hole in her chest ripping and growing. _When will I get the next call? Who will they go after next? Why are they torturing me like this?_

Unable to hold under the weight of all her misery, Usagi collapsed into an exhausted sleep.

**xXx**

This chapter is dreadfully depressing, I know, and no sign of Farfarello. Somehow the absence of his craziness is more menacing than him babbling insanely. There was one question I need to answer; will the Outers make an appearance? I'm not entirely sure but I don't think so. After all, Pluto is busy guarding the gates and Haruka and Michiru are always world traveling so I assume Hotaru would be with them.

Then, maybe if they caught wind of the current happenings? You never really know with me, I change my mind on a whim all the time. Also, Rei isn't dead, at least not yet. And on a final note, the dark angst swirling around this story will probably not lift any time soon but I have some pretty good ideas in mind for next chapter.

Anyways, please review.


	8. Nine Weeks

It was twilight, the shop had been closed and locked up for the night. Four young men gathered below at the insistence of their youngest member, who faced them now with a solemn look in his normally cheerful blue eyes. Omi Tsukiyono, age 18, drew in a breath and then sighed, saying, "Guys, we have to do something."

None of the three answered, even as he looked between them. Omi changed his tactics. "I did some searching and managed to pull up the police report filed for the murder at Usagi's old apartment, of her fiancé. The official cause of death was strangulation but there were over thirty separate cut and stab wounds all over his body. He was tortured and then killed. And yet they recovered no relevant forensic evidence."

"Nothing at all?" Ken questioned skeptically from his spot on the couch. Omi shook his head.

"It isn't our place to interfere. It's the police's job to catch the killer." Aya's monotonic response drifted over them in the following silence. His expression, opposed to his usual stoicism, appeared somewhat troubled.

"Her friend is still in the hospital, in a coma. She told me they would be moving her from the ICU in a few days if she didn't wake up. I don't want that to happen to Usagi." Omi frowned, "She's our friend, isn't she?"

"Omi is right." Yohji finally spoke, moving his eyes from the wall to glance at them over his sunglasses. "We probably shouldn't go chasing after this killer ourselves, but we could at least help somehow. Besides, I have the feeling that whoever is doing this, they aren't your average killer." Before any of them could question this odd proclamation, the tall blonde stood, stretched, and began walking off, throwing a wave over his shoulder. "Let me know if you find anything, Omi."

"I'll do anything to help Usagi, as long as it's within reason." Ken said when Omi turned back to him, blue eyes imploring. Frowning, he added, "I agree with Yohji, though. There's something about these murders."

Aya stood next and left in silence.

**xXx**

Usagi tried her best to cling to her dark and dreamless sleep, but she knew that the hands on her arms, gently shaking her awake, were not going to comply with her wants. Peeling her eyelids apart, she glanced up at the woman standing over her in a still sleepy haze. For a moment she could only stare before details like her white lab coat and friendly, professional smile registered in her consciousness.

"Hello, dear. The nurse has been worried about you. She says you've been here all day and visiting hours are almost up." The doctor, Hikari by her nametag, walked over to the bed Rei occupied and picked up the chart she had left on the table. As she looked it over, Usagi sat up in the chair, feeling the cry of protest from her now very sore neck. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was almost six and winced.

"You must be Miss Tsukino, the patient's primary contact." Turning her attention back to the doctor, she nodded, trying to ignore the stab of pain between her shoulder blades and up her neck. Doctor Hikari replaced the chart and pulled some latex gloves from one of her coat pockets, sliding her slim hands into each one. Pulling the covers down, she reached for the dressings on Rei's stomach.

Usagi blanched and turned away. She couldn't watch. Her eyes stayed glued to the framed ocean scene on the wall until she heard the rustle of blankets and the snap of latex as the woman removed her gloves. "The physical wounds are healing nicely, no infections. We've been monitoring to make sure she has no fever or any other irregularities." The doctor walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "In my opinion, your friend will get better in no time. I can tell by how rapidly she's healing. She's a fighter."

That last sentence rung in her ears for a moment, but she managed to compose herself and smile. "Thank you, doctor. I'll just be a few more minutes and then I'll leave. I promise."

Doctor Hikari nodded and made to leave, chart in hands, letting the door click softly shut behind her. Usagi let out a strained sigh and walked around the bed, glancing at the flowers she had brought and another vase of tulips beside it. There was also a picture frame resting between them, and the blonde knew that Yuuichiro must have stopped by sometime while she was sleeping.

Reaching, she curled her fingers around the picture and picked it up. It was a copy of the one she had found in her pillow that night, of all of her friends, only the one in her hands still had Mamoru's face intact and smiling up at her. Fingers tracing the edge of the photo, she was about to return it to the bedside table when she paused. Bringing the image back to her line of vision, she studied it for a moment trying to decipher what had caused her hesitation.

"Chibiusa," Usagi breathed, blue eyes riveted on the cotton candy pink buns of her future daughter, her red eyes smiling from the comfort of the blonde's arms. "But how?" The little girl should have faded out of existence, out of the photograph, maybe even out of her memory. Mamoru was gone. The future was gone. Usagi was unbelievably dizzy as she put the picture back and grabbed the rail of Rei's bed to keep from collapsing. "Oh my god."

**xXx**

Usagi smiled toward Omi as she walked by, or at least she attempted to. He didn't really notice, his focus was entirely on the computer screen in front of him. Her feet carried her toward her temporary room, and the bathroom beyond, her fingers clenched on the handles of her plastic shopping bag.

Closing the bathroom door softly, she dumped the two boxes next to the sink and stuffed the empty bag in the trash. Two, just in case. Picking up the first box, she opened it and dumped the contents into her open palm. The test, wrapped neatly in the instruction packet that she quickly discarded. To her, this was pretty self explanatory. She closed her eyes.

Ken entered Omi's bedroom slowly, looking around for the disk the younger boy had asked him to fetch. The door had been wide open, but he still knew Usagi was home and didn't want to barge in on her. She was nowhere to be seen, but he spotted the disk and reached for it when he heard a noise. Pausing, he glanced around, perplexed, when the noise sounded again. His eyes settled on the closed bathroom door.

Forgetting the disk for a moment, he slowly walked over, trying to identify the sound as he approached. When he stopped in front of the door, it hit him, and he knocked softly. "Usagi? Are you alright?"

"Go away," Ken barely heard the muffled reply cut through the quiet persistence of her sobbing. He hesitated, not sure what to do, before he reached for the handle. He expected it to be locked, but it gave way to him instantly.

The blonde was curled against the side of the tub, her body shaking and tears sliding down her cheeks. But her blue eyes were wide and transfixed on an object near the toilet. Plastic, white, lying face up on the tile, it only took Ken the fraction of a second to realize what it was. Everything clicked into place inside his head rather quickly. He crouched down, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Usagi--"

"I'm pregnant."

**xXx**

An hour later the blonde curled into the corner of the couch hugging a pillow to her chest, blue eyes staring at the television and the news ticker on the bottom of the screen. A pretty news anchor put on a grim face as she recited the latest crimes from the scrolling words of a teleprompter. Omi still sat at the computer, but no longer immersed completely as he sent glances in her direction every few moments. She didn't know how to tell him she was fine, so she didn't try.

Somewhere behind her, Usagi could hear Ken pacing back and forth. She knew he had the phone to his ear. He was trying to get her a doctor's appointment.

She felt completely numb. Sure she was relieved and completely elated that Chibiusa would still be born. She loved her daughter, but it still made losing Mamoru that much harder. Now Chibiusa would grow up without her father, without Mamoru. Love wasn't enough to support a child, and what was Usagi going to do? She worked at a flower shop. Sure she had graduated high school but her grades had been mediocre and she never even considered college. When you were destined to be the Queen of Crystal Tokyo what good was a college degree?

How would she support them? Usagi felt nausea take hold. Then she realized Ken was arguing on the phone because they wouldn't let him set an appointment for her since she was an adult. An adult. Usagi extended her hand over the back of the couch and felt the phone in her hand a few moments later. She brought it to her ear and listened to the ruffled secretary for a moment before making herself known.

Are you Usagi Tsukino? _Yes_. Do you need an appointment? _Yes_. Okay then. You can come in tomorrow at ten o'clock. _Thank you_. See you then, Miss Tsukino. Goodbye. _Bye_.

Usagi hung up the phone and sighed. She looked at the phone in her hands and wondered who she should call. _No one, not yet_. Placing the receiver on the empty cushion beside her, she slipped her hand under the pillow and stretched her fingers over her still very flat stomach. _Just when you think things can't get any more complicated_.

She felt the couch sag beside her, glanced to see that Ken had moved the phone and now occupied the cushion instead. Snatching her hand back, she entwined both around the pillow and pretended to be interested in the news again.

"Usagi, I know that you're adamant about getting back to your apartment, but," Ken wavered and Usagi tensed, but nodded to show she was listening, encouraging him to go on. "But maybe you should consider staying here longer now, especially if your life isn't the only one in danger."

That hit home; her blue eyes closed as she took it in, trying to hide her flinch. _It's true. Being reckless and putting myself in danger to protect my friends is one thing, but Chibiusa..._

"Okay," she said softly, hugging the pillow closer to her. For now, it was the best option.

**xXx**

"Miss Tsukino, you are pregnant. Two months along in fact. Well, nine weeks to be specific." Usagi slumped back in her chair as the doctor made her announcement. She closed her eyes and imagined her perfect world, where Mamoru would be sitting beside her and they would be happy. Yohji was in the waiting room, he'd been nice enough to accompany her that far.

The span of time between this appointment and her first, where they'd taken blood and urine samples, had been almost surreally quiet. She worked, ate, slept, and occasionally visited Rei. When none of these things occupied her she thought about Chibiusa, about the little girl she knew. She wondered how this new Chibiusa, denied her father and a magical kingdom, might be different.

"Do you know who the father is?" The question brought her from her thoughts, back to the small room with the high window and the locked cabinets, with posters of medicines and diseases alike.

"Yes. He died." The words came out slowly, spoken almost in monotone. She didn't want to think about it too much and have a breakdown right here. "About a month ago he was murdered in our apartment."

A month ago, she realized with a start. That's why she hadn't noticed her missed menstrual cycle. Mamoru's death kept her mind far away from anything like that. The doctor moved forward in her wheeled chair and placed a hand over hers, smiling gently. Then she pulled something from the stack of things she had carried in the room with her and showed it to Usagi.

"This is a fetal development chart," her doctor explained. She paused, and then moved her finger to the section under Week Nine. Speaking softly, she told the blonde, "Right now your baby is only about one inch long. The fetus isn't big enough for you to feel it yet, but is has joints and fingers and is probably wriggling around everywhere."

Usagi stared at the image on the chart, the small curled up thing looking more like an alien in a pod than a human baby. But that was a vague representation of Chibiusa, right now, growing inside of her stomach. The doctor wheeled away again and described the vitamins she was going to prescribe her, gave her pamphlets on eating properly, told her of situations where she might need to seek medical help.

When she returned to the lobby, she figured she had enough material cradled in her arms to write a novel. Yohji stood to greet her, and eyed the burden in her hands before meeting her gaze. "So I guess that's an affirmative?"

Usagi could only nod. She was still a bit overwhelmed with everything. They left the doctor's office in silence, until they passed an ice cream shop and Yohji offered to buy her a cone. "Pepperoni and mushroom?" She raised an eyebrow and he shrugged, "I always heard pregnant women had weird cravings."

This had the desired effect. Usagi started laughing, and replied, "I think I'll stick with chocolate."

**xXx**

He watched as the girl let herself in to her apartment. He ground his teeth in frustration. The target he had wanted became too troublesome. It had been too long since his last attack. But the other girl was hardly ever alone. So he decided to go ahead and do this one.

He did a mental checklist of everything he needed to make sure he had everything. He moved quickly from shadow to shadow, approaching the apartment door. Testing the door knob, he found it locked. That wouldn't provide much of a challenge.

A sinister smile covered his lips, and he proceeded to let himself in.

**xXx**

Uh oh, trouble for our next victim. I want to think my reviewer, **Sakura Lisel**; I had planned all along to have Usagi pregnant, but their review inspired the events that led to that discovery in the story. Also, thank you to everyone else who reviewed.


	9. Poetry

Usagi blinked a few times and tried once more to focus on the words that were beginning to swim on the page in front of her. With a groan she relented, folding her arms on the table and dropping her head into them after shoving her copy of _What To Expect When You're Expecting_ sufficiently out of the way. She heard Yohji chuckle from his post at the sink, where he was washing the dishes they'd used for their dinner. The blonde glared at his back and he turned to grin at her despite the cigarette dangling from his lips.

"I hate reading," she said by way of explanation, reaching instead for a pamphlet that had at least some pictures to study. Her brain was resistant in processing these as well and she sighed.

"Maybe you should let it go for today. You've been going through that stuff since we got home," Yohji paused to glance at the clock, "four hours ago. Rome wasn't built in a day and all that."

"I guess." Usagi put the pamphlet down and relented to stacking her reading materials into a neat pile in front of her, letting the sound of the running water at the sink flood the educational materials from her mind. She tried to remember the first time Chibiusa came from the future. Part of her wanted that strange feeling that came over her when she learned that this pink haired kid, annoying as she may be, was a product of her love with Mamoru. Someday she would be a mother.

It was easy to recall all the things she had contemplated; herself heavily pregnant unwrapping tiny pink outfits and laughing with her friends, Mamoru in the delivery room with the pink blanket in his arms, smiling at her, Ikuko and Kenji coming to visit as proud grandparents, with Shingo as the reluctant uncle.

_I never expected it to happen like this_.

"There's no way you could have, kid. You have to make the best of it." Usagi looked up, startled, before she realized she must have spoken her final thought aloud. She studied Yohji's back for a moment, wondering what he must have truly thought of all this, what he thought of her.

Heavy footsteps approaching the kitchen distracted her, and she turned just as Aya appeared. He stopped there at the threshold, taking in the scene before him. Usagi felt he looked as though he'd just been incredibly busy, in motion, and suddenly came to a screeching halt. His violet eyes moved over her to the books on the table, and then back to Yohji, who had paused in his task to study Aya as well. Without a word the redhead walked across the kitchen, grabbed the cigarette from Yohji's mouth and tossed it into the dishwater, effectively putting it out.

"Smoke outside." Then he turned and left, continuing whatever task he'd been intent on before he came upon them. A silence hung over the kitchen in his wake, before Yohji turned away from the sink.

"Hey, Usagi, I'm sorry. I didn't even think about it." But Usagi shook her head, cutting his apology off, while she continued to stare after Aya.

"Neither did I."

**xXx**

It was hard to focus. Thankfully she had been arranging flowers long enough that it was almost second nature for her, but the gloves she was now forced to wear made her actions clumsier than usual. It was a precaution; her doctor had warned her that pesticides could penetrate her skin and possibly reach the baby, so she wore the gloves while handling the flowers.

The bell on the door gave its cheerful jingle, but she didn't look up. A few moments passed and she forgot the door had even opened until she heard the man clearing his throat. Her blue eyes finally left the piles of ribbon she was tying into bows across the table. A flicker of recognition scurried across her brain, but she couldn't grasp it. She stayed silent as the man looked at her, waiting for him to speak.

"Miss Tsukino, I've been trying to get a hold of you since yesterday." There was the spark of recognition again, and this time she grabbed hold of it. He was Detective Arashi, the lead detective on her case. Usagi paused and tried to collect herself as best she could. "Your phone is going straight to voicemail and your parents haven't seen you."

"My phone broke," Usagi interrupted, surprised how easy the lie came the second time. The Detective was clearly annoyed at being unable to reach her. "And I've been staying with friends. Didn't you tell me I shouldn't stay alone?"

"Ah, yes, well." The detective cleared his throat again, this time from discomfort. An unsettling silence lingered for a moment too long before he continued. "I wanted to let you know that the coroner has released Mamoru Chiba's body. Since he has no next of kin and you were his fiancé, it is released to you for funeral arrangements."

"Oh," She gulped over the lump in her throat, nodding, and glanced down at her knuckles turning white as she clenched the edge of the table. "I see. I'll take care of it." Detective Arashi glanced between her and the rainbow of ribbons across the table uneasily for a moment longer before digging into his inside coat pocket. He produced a small white rectangle that could only be a business card and placed it on the table.

"This man is trying to contact you as well. Due to the nature of the business he can only give details to you, so you'll have to call him yourself." The logo on the card, as it came into view, sent another unexpected jolt of shock through her. Both hands fell lax in her lap as she stared at it. The detective looked as if he wanted to say something more, but instead turned to go, shaking his head.

"Wait," he paused and looked at her over his shoulder. Usagi raised her blue eyes to him once more, steady, and asked, "Are there any new leads?"

"None yet, Miss Tsukino. We'll keep looking." The door jingled again with his departure, and with it the world seemed to speed up to real time once more. Usagi recalled where she was, and noticed that both Omi and Aya were looking at her from near the counter. She reached for the card and tucked it into her pocket, before she stood and walked over to them.

Bowing to Aya, she said, "I'm sorry but I have to take care of this right away. May I be excused for the day?"

Aya nodded when she looked up again and turned back to what he was doing without a word, surprising her a bit. He had always disapproved of her being late or missing any work. She supposed he was being lenient given her current situation, which made her feel guilty more than anything. Removing her gloves and apron, she put them away and collected her purse, trying to avoid the worried looks from Omi.

Before she could make it out the door, he asked her, "Do you need someone to come with you, Usagi?"

"No thank you, Omi." The answer came quickly, automatically, because the question caught her off guard. The door jingled shut behind her and she stood on the sidewalk for a moment, gathering her wits while people walked around her, eyeing her, wondering why she wasn't moving. Taking a deep breath, she set off, digging the card from her pocket in the process. Staring at the hauntingly familiar logo, she let the memory wash over her.

"_Let me guess, one of your friends at work has put you up to this and you couldn't say no yet again." The blonde grinned over her cup of tea while her dark-haired fiancé tried not to look sheepish. She'd hit the nail on the head._

"_Usako it really is a smart idea, you never know what could happen, right? I want you to be taken care of."_

"_I will be, you'll be there taking care of me, right?" She smiled playfully at him as she set her cup down. "Besides, I've been known to take care of myself pretty well in a bind."_

"_That's not what I'm talking about, Usako." Usagi sighed at the serious note in Mamoru's voice and regarded him for a moment._

"_I just don't get it. Life insurance? Does it include stipulations for getting sliced to bits by youma?" Usagi grinned as Mamoru attempted to look annoyed by her lack of seriousness. He eventually gave in to his laughter, however, and she joined in._

_Mamoru was right, as usual. _Usagi shook off the thought and glanced up at the logo imprinted on the glass doors, a larger representation of the one printed on the card in her hand. She stepped into the small, air-conditioned waiting room and looked around, her apprehension building. The silence in the room was penetrated only by the clicking of the secretary's keyboard. One other person was present, a thin woman sitting in one of the plastic chairs with one leg folded over the other, her dangling foot tapping in the air a mile a minute.

"I'm Usagi Tsukino," the blonde said as she reached the desk. The woman behind the desk finally stopped typing long enough to give Usagi a searching glance with her dark brown eyes. "I was told that Mr. Yamani was trying to get in touch with me."

"One moment please." The secretary whirled in her chair and reached for the phone. "Mr. Yamani? There's a Usagi Tsukino here to see you. Yes, sir." She replaced the receiver and moved back to her computer, adding almost as an afterthought, "Go right in."

Usagi sent an apologetic look to the woman still waiting in her plastic chair, who was now glaring at her, before walking past the desk to what she assumed was Mr. Yamani's office. As she closed the door softly behind her and finally glimpsed the man sitting at the large desk, her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Shoji?"

"Usagi, it's good to see you again, though not under these circumstances." The blonde moved across the room as he gestured to the chair across from him, still a bit dazed at the unexpected encounter. She and Mamoru had been to dinner with Shoji and his wife, Hana, on several occasions. It was fair to say that the man was one of Mamoru's best friends. When she thought about it, Mamoru had mentioned the man was an insurance broker before. It made sense that he was the one to get Mamoru to buy into the insurance policy in the first place.

"How is Hana?" An excited grin lit up his face at the mention of the brunette woman, replacing his somber expression, which in turn brought a small smile to Usagi's face.

"As big as a house," he returned affectionately, miming a large round belly with his hands. Though it may have sounded like an insult, Usagi knew that Hana was pregnant, and was actually surprised that she hadn't had the baby yet. She'd attended the baby shower some time ago. "I'm expecting a call any second really." The happiness faded from his face, and he suddenly looked sheepish, or maybe guilty, "But that isn't why you're here."

"It's okay, I'm very happy for you two." She smiled encouragingly to him.

"I'm very sorry for your loss, Usagi. Mamoru was a very dear friend to us. When he took out this policy, I never expected," Shoji let the sentence trail, his eyes glazing over. He shook it off quickly, "I wanted to contact you, not just about the insurance, but to make sure you're okay. Do you need any help?"

"Well," Usagi looked at her hands, nervous, and then at the older man once more, "I know this is unexpected, but the detective on the case told me that they've released Mamoru's body." A shiver went through her, and the lump in her throat swelled before she could fight the emotions back down. "It isn't fair of me to ask, but I can't do it. I can't make funeral arrangements for him. I don't even know who to call-"

Her voice broke, and she put a hand over her mouth to prevent the sob from escaping. She wasn't even sure how she'd kept her composure in front of the detective earlier. Some part of her was still sitting in the back of her mind, curled up like a child with her fingers in her ears, humming, swearing that none of this was true. None of it had ever happened. Yet reality refused to let her rest, hitting her at every turn. Shoji rose from his seat and moved to the chair next to her, putting his hand on her shaking shoulder.

"Usagi, would you like me to do it for you? This may be something you come to regret. Maybe you should think about it." He spoke gently, full of concern, and it just made it all the more hard. But she couldn't do it. She couldn't go and pick out a casket, invitations. A tuxedo. She shuddered. Least of all she couldn't call everyone they knew and listen to their condolences. She wasn't ready.

"I know it's not fair of me to ask," Usagi said again, trying to regain composure as he passed her a box of tissues. "Your wife could be having a baby at any moment." Her hand subconsciously shifted to her stomach, where she knew the tiny Chibiusa was growing. "But he was such a solitary person, and I know that he valued your friendship so much. I know I can trust you to do it."

"If it's what you want, Hana and I would be honored to do it for you. We were going to make you and Mamoru the godparents of our son." Usagi looked up at Shoji, wide-eyed. He was smiling gently at her, and still offering the tissues. "Would you still be the godmother?"

"Are you sure?" Her voice was soft. She wasn't quite sure what to say. When Shoji nodded, she did as well, almost reflexively. "You're doing so much for me. I would love to."

Shoji returned to his original seat while she wiped at the last remnants of her tears, gaining some bearings on her emotions. While she balled up the used tissues and located the trash bin, he looked over the papers that had been laid out on his desk. When she turned back to him, he was looking at her once more.

"The policy itself is fairly straightforward. The funeral costs will be included. Mamoru took out a million dollar policy, and you were the sole beneficiary. As soon as the detective informs me that you are cleared as a suspect, we can move forward with no problems." Usagi's world shuddered to a stop. Her grip tightened on the handles of her chair while she could only stare at Shoji in disbelief. He appeared concerned for a moment, before he had the epiphany and suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"S-suspect?" She couldn't keep the tremor from her voice.

"It's not saying they think you did it, Usagi. They just haven't eliminated you as a potential suspect yet. It's routine procedure." His words fell flat while her mind reeled. She recalled her encounters with Detective Arashi, as few as they were. Had he regarded her with suspicion? She never picked up on it, but she wasn't exactly sharp at the time. A constant string of stressful and emotional events may have thrown her perception off.

"You can call me here," the blonde dug in her purse until she produced a card for the flower shop, "if you need to be in touch with me. Thank you so much, Shoji. I have to go."

He tried to stutter some sort of response, but she was up and out the door before he could manage even a word.

**xXx**

Usagi's resolve faded before she made it half way to the police station. The logical side of her brain, as neglected as it usually was, kicked in to gear and made her analyze the situation. She and Mamoru had lived alone. She was the one who called the police. She'd been stubbornly trying to move on and seem happy to throw off the person she knew was the real killer, but how had that looked to the detective leading the case, who expected her to be a strung out mess? Vaguely she could remember the expression he gave when she claimed she would stay in her apartment by herself.

"Idiot Usagi," she chided to herself, sighing as she changed directions to return to the flower shop. There was still a sizeable stack of orders that needed attention. Hopefully they would help her stop thinking about the funeral, the insurance, her pregnancy, and Rei.

Her footsteps slowed as she felt a strange prickle on the back of her neck. Strange, but not unfamiliar in these recent days: the feeling of being watched. Picking up her pace, she took a deep breath and told herself that she was just stressed and extremely paranoid. But years of being Sailor Moon had taught her, if nothing else, to trust her instincts. The relief flooded her when the flower shop finally came into view.

That feeling, however, was short-lived. As she stepped inside, Aya was there to greet her. She opened her mouth to ask him what he was doing, but the look on his face stopped her cold. It was a hybrid of anger and what she perceived to be concern, but could never be certain in Aya's case. That's when she heard it.

"Usagi!" Aya stepped to the side and allowed her full view of Makoto. The young woman, who Usagi had always admired for her strength, was totally distraught. She was sitting by the counter, on the stool that Omi usually used. The blonde boy was beside her, doing his best to comfort the tall brunette, but looking vexed and uncomfortable.

A haze seemed to fall over her in that moment. The person that was Usagi receded in the back of her mind, joining the same one who was curled in a ball and still spouting denial about Mamoru. It was someone else who stepped forward, awkwardly and robotic, to wrap their arms around Makoto's shaking form, someone else's voice who said it was going to be alright, whatever it was.

She only wished it had been someone else's heart shattering when Makoto finally stuttered out the one word, a name. _Ami_.

**xXx**

It was perfect. Poetic.

He watched her trembling steps, unable to wipe the grin that spread across his lips. If only he could be there, beside her. He would tell her exactly how he'd done it; detail every moment, every precise incision and every emotion that had played across those dark blue eyes. Fear. Anger. Pain. Understanding...he grimaced, and shook it off.

Most of all, he wanted to share those final words before he'd silenced her, _please don't hurt Usagi_. He almost wanted to cackle.

It was so perfect. Poetry.

**xXx**

Tenchi Arashi sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger. The case file laid out in front of him was causing the first wave of a severe migraine, visible in the stars that were creeping into the edges of his vision. He fumbled through his top desk drawer without opening his eyes until his fingers closed around the prescription bottle. The pills rattled together happily as he worked off the top and took two of them. He couldn't afford a three-day stretch of crippling pain in a dark room right now.

"That the Chiba case?" Tenchi glanced up at the man standing in the doorway, a weathered man of twice his age who worked as the medical examiner. He nodded in response and tucked his pills away with as much discretion as he could, but figured the extremely observant man hadn't missed any moment of it. "Someone really did a number on that guy."

"Yeah," Tenchi shrugged and tapped a finger on the report he was reading, the very one that the medical examiner had turned over after the autopsy, "so you've written, Taka."

"I've seen some brutal stuff in my day, but that was really something else. Pure torture," he came over and turned one of the guest seats around, straddling it as he sipped his cup of coffee. "It was the fiancé, you know."

"What?" Tenchi reflexively turned to the picture of the blonde woman that he had set beside the open case file, frowning. Taka chuckled obligingly, drawing his eyes back to the older man.

"Detective school 101, kid. It's always the significant other." Tenchi, frown still on his face, pushed the picture of the small blonde closer to the medical examiner.

"You're telling me this 90 pound woman successfully brought down and tortured Mamoru Chiba? I don't think she's physically capable." Taka clicked his tongue condescendingly, which sent a wave of frustration through the detective that only heightened the slow throbbing of his oncoming migraine.

"It's easy to gain an upper hand on someone who trusts you completely. Ligature marks on the body confirm that he was tied up." Taka smiled knowingly as he sipped his coffee, "She is a looker, though. Is that why you haven't pegged her yet?"

"It's not that," he meant to sound as annoyed as he felt, but he was too busy thinking. Why wasn't Usagi Tsukino his prime suspect? He remembered the repeated emergency calls where she'd claimed someone was after her, but they had never turned up anything, had they? Both crime scenes had been totally clean. There were no other suspects, yet he hadn't really pursued Usagi as a suspect at all.

"And the other vic, the best friend," Taka tapped a finger on the other file on his desk, open to the crime scene images of the dark haired woman known as Rei Hino. "She was probably sleeping with the fiancé. Happens all the time. The blonde probably found out about it and decided to get even. Now she's stringing you along with her damsel in distress act."

The both of them were interrupted by the abrupt sound of running shoes on the tiled floor. A few seconds later one of the junior detectives appeared in the doorway, winded, with his eyes on Tenchi Arashi.

"There's been another death in the case. They want you on the scene immediately." Tenchi was out of his chair in an instant, one hand reaching for the coat on the back of the chair, the other for his keys. In a blur he was headed for the door, but paused again when Taka called out his name.

"Remember kid, the simplest solution is usually the right one." He frowned again, but didn't respond, leaving the room and the smiling medical examiner behind.

**xXx**

I'm going to stop this chapter here, as I feel it's an appropriate spot. I apologize for the extremely long wait, and just know that you can thank **Sesshy's Mistress** directly for the efforts to update this story. She sent me a message months ago requesting an update, and due to a streak of inspiration recently I finally managed to work on it. Lack of enthusiasm for the past couple of chapters I think killed my confidence in the story a bit, but that was unfair to the readers, so again I apologize.

Now that I've completed a few other stories, and almost finished Oniisan, I will try to focus on getting through this story a little more. Let me warn you that some things may get a bit rushed in favor of seeing the story through to the ending. I just don't have as much time as I'd like to fully develop the plot.

Thank you for reading, and please, review. (:


	10. Not Yet

"...we are gathered here today..." The words of the priest only reached her in distorted waves, tidbits of the eulogy that she couldn't bear to listen to. Her eyes were transfixed on the shaking shoulders of the woman in the front pew, both seeing and not seeing. Saeko Mizuno, Ami's mother, was an emotional wreck. The woman who had always been distant, strong, a busy doctor who inspired Ami's own dreams in the medical profession, was in pieces.

_It's all my fault_. Usagi closed her eyes and realized that the tears were rolling down her cheeks, one after the other. She felt someone squeeze her hand and knew it was Makoto, sitting on her left side. On her right, she could vaguely hear Minako's unsteady breathing as she tried to stifle her sobs with a handful of tissue. Rei wasn't there, something else she could take the blame for.

Time seemed to be reeling in an unnatural, yoyo-like way for her, speeding through and then slowing to a crawl. When she came to, she was standing in the cemetery. Most of the people who had attended the funeral were gone, or walking to their cars. Her blue eyes were still focused on the shoulders of Saeko Mizuno, no longer trembling as she faced the casket that was ready to be lowered into the ground.

Her feet carried her forward, in the same way they had carried her toward Makoto. She couldn't even recall how many days ago that had been now. The Usagi in the back of her mind was demanding to know what her body was doing. Saeko finally raised her head, looking at, or perhaps through Usagi with a pair of blue eyes that looked so much like Ami's.

She felt the softness of the grass and the cool press of dirt against her knees before she realized she was on them. Her hands reached out to clench the hem of Saeko's black skirt. Ami's blue eyes continued to stare down at her, blank, unreadable. "I'm so sorry."

How many times she said those three words, over and over before Makoto pulled her away, she couldn't recall. Saeko never acknowledged her, with hatred, or pain, or disgust, or anger. Just indifference, which some part of her felt was much more painful and cruel than anything else. When they finally made it back to the car, Usagi collapsed against the seat, empty.

**xXx**

Detective Tenchi Arashi leaned into his car as he watched the funeral procession move slowly and reluctantly across the cemetery. The blonde he was watching stuck out easily in the crown, and he followed her movements with his eyes.

He hadn't been brazen enough to risk attending the funeral itself; he would never want to intrude on the family's grief. But he observed Usagi Tsukino now, seated in the back row, stoic and still. His mind was reeling with thoughts of suspicion and doubt, though he couldn't figure which side had the upper hand.

Time went by as the crowd slowly dispersed, but the victim of his scrutiny remained, so he did too. Until finally she rose from her seat and stood. He felt himself tense, but she stood idle, in one spot, for the next few minutes.

Then she stepped forward, one foot, then another, like she was stuck in slow motion, until she made it to the form of Saeko Mizuno in the front row of chairs. Just like that the young woman collapsed to her knees, clutching at the woman's skirt, pleading. He couldn't hear the words from this distance, but he could guess what she was saying easily enough.

The blonde's taller friend finally came forward to pull her away. She practically carried the petite girl to the car and deposited her in the passenger seat. Tenchi watched them drive away, his thoughts as muddled as ever.

Could someone who seemed so harmless really be capable of coldblooded murder, then turn around and appear such a degree of miserable and apologetic? Supposing that the medical examiner's suspicion of a love affair was true, how did the new victim fit into the scenario? Had Mamoru Chiba made the rounds with all of Usagi Tsukino's friends?

He couldn't bring himself to believe it.

Yet he also couldn't figure what had drawn a psychopath to target Usagi Tsukino to begin with. She had no status, no wealth to speak of unless you included the insurance policy she now stood to gain due to her fiancé's death. She seemed well-liked. Her parents were ordinary working class people. She was average.

"This case is going to hell. I have no evidence and no profile for the killer." Tenchi sighed to himself as he pushed away from his navy blue sedan and fell into the driver's seat. He would have to figure out something soon, before the bodies continued to pile up.

**xXx**

Makoto eyed the redhead before her skeptically as he lifted Usagi easily into his arms. His face was impossible to read. "I'm only leaving her here because I think it's the safest place for her right now."

He studied her with his violet eyes, unmoved. Under different circumstances she might have been gushing over how handsome he was. Affectionately she recalled herself and Usagi in their high school days, knowing that the tall red-haired man would have been a prime target for their boy-crazy antics.

"We'll take care of her." Aya finally said when he noticed the brunette woman wasn't going anywhere, though she appeared to be lost in thought rather than waiting on him to respond. The words brought her back to reality, and she looked him over again before she smiled a bit.

"I don't know why I believe you when you say that. I'll hold you to it though." Makoto turned back toward her car to leave, but turned one more time with her eyes on the sleeping blonde, the green orbs laced with concern. "She needs someone to talk to. Usagi is the type of person who attracts the people around her, and as such, she's never alone. She can't be alone, now of all times. So if you say you'll take care of her, I hope you know what that means."

The tall woman got into her car and drove away, while Aya watched after her tail lights. When he began to feel the weight of Usagi growing heavier in his arms, he turned to go back inside. He deposited the sleeping girl in Omi's bed, her bed for the moment, and pulled the covers over her when she shivered. For a moment, he hovered there, unsure of what to do next. _She can't be alone, now of all times_.

Aya pulled the chair from the desk and lowered himself into it, crossing his arms, frowning. He studied the blonde as she slept, wondering. The four of them should have gone their separate ways by now. Their mission had been over for some time. They were no longer four assassins working together against a common threat. Those days were over. Yet they remained here, at this flower shop, idle as though waiting for something to happen, or unwilling to let go.

Usagi shifted in her sleep, her face twisting into a grimace and then smoothing once more. She whimpered, and then fell silent. Aya frowned and wondered what, if any part of that was a credit to the blonde woman. When they'd sought to hire her after Momoe-san passed, it was mostly because things were getting heated with Takatori and they needed someone to be available to run the shop in case of emergency.

He could honestly say he hadn't liked the cheerful girl to begin with. They hired her mostly because she was the only candidate who had applied that wasn't interested at staring at the four of them instead of working. She was engaged, and she didn't lack for enthusiasm, so he'd agreed with the decision. The fact that she showed up late on her very first day had annoyed him, but those first few weeks were the worst.

She was endlessly late. He'd never known a more scatterbrained person in his entire life. On top of that, she was frequently clumsy and knocked over a fair share of flower pots. She was awful at the register, and her cash drawer was always off. In an act of frustration he had sent her to do an easy flower arrangement, convinced that at least she wouldn't be breaking anything.

He had truly been surprised when the arrangement came out above expectations. The customer was very pleased. For all her faults, Usagi worked very well with the customers, and no one she dealt with ever left the store dissatisfied, or more importantly, empty-handed. As he gave her more arrangements, she continued to turn out amazing work, and he finally could rest easy without worrying about her messing anything up.

But he recalled being distracted during those times. He even remembered yelling at Usagi for being late one day, his mind full of other things and stressed to the limit. She'd looked surprised, and teary-eyed, and he'd felt somewhat guilty afterward. He couldn't say he was sorry, however, and therefore couldn't bring himself to say anything else to the blonde for the next week or so, but she had been on time every day after that.

_Usagi is the type of person who attracts the people around her_. Maybe that was true. Maybe she had grown on him, after a while, always smiling, always cheerful. He'd kept his distance from her because her sunny disposition at times reminded him of his sister Aya.

So caught up in his thoughts, it took a while for him to register what he was looking at.

Aya rose from the chair and moved across the room to the dresser. There, beside Usagi's neatly folded stack of clothes, was the pink cell phone that he remembered her carrying. He recalled her telling the detective that it had broken, yet here it sat. The back cover was removed and the battery was sitting next to the device, useless.

"Aya-kun?" The redhead turned at the sound of Usagi's voice in the quiet room. She was looking at him, questioning, propped up on one elbow, still clad in her black dress from the funeral. Though she'd just woke, her eyes looked terribly sleep-deprived. He wondered if she'd slept at all these past few days. She appeared paler than usual, and somewhat frail.

"Have you eaten?" Usagi looked surprised at the question, and blinked a few times in response. When she didn't say anything, he elaborated, "These past few days, have you been eating? You do remember that you're pregnant?"

The blonde sputtered, but truthfully she couldn't answer him. She could scarcely remember the past few days, what she'd done or who she had or hadn't spoken to. She was still half way retreated into her mind, trying to preserve what little sanity she still had left. A stab of guilt went through her at his words, however, and she pressed a hand against her stomach.

"Come on," Her head snapped up when Aya circled his hand around her forearm and coaxed her to stand. She followed his lead without protest as he led her to the kitchen and motioned for her to sit down. Her eyes fell on the stack of books and pamphlets, still on the table where she'd left them, and became misty-eyed. _Sorry, Chibiusa_.

When Aya sat the plate of eggs and toast in front of her, she pulled herself from her thoughts and met his violet eyes, trying her best to smile. "Thank you, Aya-kun." He didn't respond, but he took the seat across from her silently as she picked up her fork. While she tackled the overflowing plate, wondering if maybe he'd gone a bit overboard or if she really looked that skinny, he reached for one of the books.

Between bites, Usagi observed the redhead as he leafed through the pages of _What To Expect When You're Expecting_. The sight was somewhat surreal, though she couldn't bring herself to call him out. Every few moments he would glance up to make sure she was eating, and she tried to pretend she wasn't watching him. They stayed this way until she had cleared most of the plate, her stomach demanding the nourishment despite her missing appetite.

"You lied to the detective." Usagi started, and followed him with her blue eyes as he collected her plate and took it to the sink. "About your phone. I saw it in the bedroom."

"Oh," Usagi looked down at her hands, a bit guiltily. She heard Aya rinsing the plate, and then his footsteps as he returned to his chair. She chanced a glance in his direction, but he was only looking at her, his expression unreadable, though absent of disapproval she had expected. "I guess I did."

"Usagi." He didn't let the silence stretch or the subject drop as Usagi had hoped he would. "We are trying to help you. Your friends are as well. Lying to the police is your decision. You don't have to hide things from us."

"The day that Rei went to the hospital, that first night I stayed here in Omi's room," she paused, gulped, "I got a picture message from him." When she noticed the confused look in Aya's eyes, she explained, "The killer. He sent me a picture of Rei, right after he-" She shivered and couldn't say it, "The next morning I turned off the phone and removed the battery. Between that and the voicemail from Mamoru, I didn't need any more haunting messages."

Usagi stared at her hands, feeling the weight of self-loathing heavy on her heart. The person who had resolved not to let this psycho control her life had been a lie, a castle made only of sand that had washed away as soon as high tide rolled in. Everything she knew, believed, loved and valued was crumbling into dust before her eyes, slipping through her fingers.

Aya watched the blonde, silent, frowning as her face grew progressively darker. He tried to remember her cheerful counterpart, the annoyingly bubbly young woman who frustrated him with her scatterbrained tendencies. It was harder than he liked, remembering past the last few months where her face was lined in worry and the fleeting hints of fear.

"This message," the sudden words seemed to echo through the silence that surrounded the two of them. Usagi finally raised her nerve to look at Aya again as he spoke, "did it come from an unknown number?"

"No, it came from Rei's phone." She answered, shaking her head.

"I see." Aya contemplated this for a moment, the made eye contact with her. Caught off guard, Usagi couldn't look away as he spoke again. "You're safe here, Usagi, with us."

She smiled then, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you, Aya-kun. It isn't me that I'm worried about."

**xXx**

"This is for you." Minako smiled as she pulled the phone from her bag and slid it across the table. The blonde model had picked Usagi up after her shift at the flower shop to take her out to dinner. Usagi stared at the basic, black phone with empty eyes, unsure of how to respond. "It's only temporary. We have to be able to get a hold of you, Bunny. I only gave the number to Mako. Anyone else you give it to is up to you."

"Didn't you say you got a job offer?" Usagi moved her eyes from the phone to her fellow blonde. She was referring to the chatter in the car on the way to the restaurant, where she had sat silently, listening to Minako's bubbly conversation trying to cheer her up. "An ad campaign in America, right?"

"Yes, but," Minako hesitated, not sure where Usagi was going, but not liking the sudden determined glint in her blue eyes, "I turned it down. It doesn't make sense for me to leave right now-"

"It makes perfect sense." Usagi's hand shot across the table, grabbing Minako's and squeezing. Her sapphire eyes were pleading, and Minako shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "Please, Minako. You have to go, and take Makoto with you."

"Bunny, you know we can't do that."

"You have to," her voice was trembling now, but she had to make Minako understand. "I'm doing everything I can do to stay safe, but I'm powerless. I can't protect any of you from this. You have to leave."

"Leave, and then what?" Minako frowned at Usagi and pulled her hand back, "The police don't seem to have any leads, any suspects, or really any clue what they're doing. We'd be on location for about a month. Suppose they don't find anything in that time, are we supposed to stay gone? What if it takes years? What if they never find them? What should we do then, Usagi, never see you again?"

"That's not what I mean." Usagi slumped back in her chair, subdued instead of the upset that Minako had expected. She wrapped both arms around her middle, a gesture that felt oddly ominous to the other blonde, and turned her eyes back to the cell phone on the table. "Even if it's only for a month, I just need some piece of mind. I just want to know that you're safe, both of you."

"Fine," Minako sighed, defeated by the desperation and misery in the best friend. "I'll take the job and I'll bring Makoto with me, but only if you swear to me that you will stay safe. Don't go anywhere alone, Usagi, even during the day."

"I promise."

**xXx**

He watched, indifferent, as they made their escape. The blonde one, the one who should have been dead already, and the tall one disappeared onto the plane and ascended into the heavens, out of his reach.

Was this some kind of challenge?

Did they think that this would stop him if he truly wanted one of them dead? It was simple. A plane ticket, that's all. His golden eye shifted to his angel, hands hanging limply at her sides, empty blue eyes on the heavens where the plane could no longer be seen. Longing, like an angel missing heaven.

A sneer came to his face as he looked past her, to the redhead standing on her other side, watching. Guarding.

Perhaps he had pushed enough. He studied her face, a mosaic of despair and emptiness that he had created. Maybe it was time.

Then she turned, smiled at the redhead, walked away. He scowled. Not yet.

**xXx**

Thank you to my reviewers. After a rigorous morning of studying, this was a pleasant distraction. I'm wobbling on the speed of the story, how much more I want to drag certain points out. Tell me what you think, though, your reviews do inspire me. (:

Thank you for reading.


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